Tag: community resilience

Counting on … day 71

27th May 2025

Local churches – particularly those where the congregation is predominantly local too – can be a force for good because it builds the strength of the local community and has a building that is available as a community centre. Tearfund identifies local churches as having ten key strengths that can enable them to tackle the risk of disaster.

  • respond immediately 
  • Provide compassion and care 
  • Have resources available locally
  • Influence and shale values
  • Act as community peace builders
  • Facilitate community action 
  • Raise awareness of risks and advocate for change
  • Communicate hope and promote healing
  • Pray to bring change
  • Raise issues and draw support from their denomination as a regional or national level (1)

However Tearfund also point out that some churches “may not see strengthening the resilience of communities as part of the church’s role.”

Churches need to consciously and proactively engage with the challenge of being a key part of community resilience.

Counting on … day 70

26th May 2025

Another aid to community resilience is having people locally who have undertaken various forms of training such as first aid. 

The British Red Cross have produced a detailed report on the benefits first aiders can bring to  community resilience  – “Being socially connected is related to an individual’s willingness to act, with those stating a willingness to act also reporting they feel part of a community, the community watch out for each other, and that people in the community are willing to,help each other.” (1)

And  St John’s Ambulance highlights the benefits of mental health first aid – “Through active listening and creating a safe space for open conversations, Mental Health First Aiders contribute to a healthier and more resilient community.” (2)

There are equally benefits for communities that have the services of search and rescue volunteers. Volunteer teams cover both remote mountain terrains and flatter rural and urban areas too.

“Often when people hear the words “search and rescue “they have an image of an off-shore rescue, snow covered mountains or fast flowing waters. The Lowland Rescue teams including CRS can also be involved in fast water or weather-related incidents, but we often find ourselves having to search villages, towns and cities for missing persons.

These urban areas have many challenges including, buildings, both occupied and derelict, park land, waterways, gardens, roads and people to name but a few. The specialised Lowland Rescue training that our volunteers receive, which is always delivered to a national standard, prepares them for all eventualities.” (3) 

Equally communities could benefit from having people who have fire fighting skills. (4)

(1) https://british-red-cross.relayto.com/e/assessing-the-links-between-first-aid-training-and-community-resilience-sh0pd3g0gw8pi

(2) https://www.sja.org.uk/courses/workplace-mental-health-first-aid/mental-health-first-aid/book/

(3) https://www.communityrescue.org/service/land-search-and-rescue/

(4) https://fireengland.uk/recruitment/ways-get-involved

Counting on … day 65

19th  May 2025

Food banks make good commmunity hubs and increase resilience. Tottenham food bank has the strap line “Tottenham Foodbank: empowering community resilience, one parcel at a time”.

While sadly necessary, food banks ensure people who need it receive food and other essentials. Those who come and those who run the food banks also  become means by which information is shared and by which community resilience is increased. In the event of a crisis, having a community already in place will help the people in that locality better cope with the crisis. Knowing whose who, knowing who is more vulnerable, knowing who has particular skills or knowledge can really make a difference. 

https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/communities-and-social-justice/civil-society/community-insights-hub/community-insights-hub-story-library/tottenham-foodbank-empowering-community-resilience-one-parcel-time