New ‘go-to’ online communities network launched

Community organisations including Power to Change and Locality have come together to create an online network to ‘inspire and enable’ local people to act for themselves on the issues they care about.

Launching this week, My Community aims to provide a ‘go-to’ space of trusted resources to help people find the information they need about the support options available while encouraging people to come together and take positive community action.

The platform aims to utilise the community spirit seen across the country as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. Latest research from partner organisation Power to Change shows that 68% of UK adults don’t want to lose the renewed sense of community spirit and are pledging to do more in their local area when the crisis finally ends.

Yet the data also shows that a quarter of those surveyed (26%) fear that vulnerable people in their community don’t know where to go for support, while 18% believe there is a lack of community resources in their area.

In Bristol, BS3 Community Development has seen a huge surge in community support, with over 1,100 volunteers signing up to help their response to the crisis and provide vital care to those that need it most.

Dawn Lockhart, Head of Communications at BS3 Community Development, said: ‘At this time of huge uncertainty it’s been truly humbling to see people in the community coming together to protect the most vulnerable.

‘Quite often people want to make a difference locally but don’t know where to start. My Community provides that starting point and enables local people to act for themselves on the issues they care about.

‘The My Community platform is great because it can help harness this huge surge in amazing activism and community support.’

My Community is the brainchild of Power to Change, Locality, Acre, Groundwork, Local Trust, Plunkett Foundation, Co-operatives UK, MHCLG, NAVCA, New Economics Foundation, NCVO and Semble.

For further information and guidance to help your local community, visit www.mycommunity.org.uk