HOME ABOUT GROUNDWORK LATEST UPDATES RESOURCES APPLY FOR A GRANT SEARCH PROJECTS PARTNER WITH US JOIN IN GROUNDWORK NEAR ME Growing Spaces Community hubs and their role in recovery HOME About Us Research and Reports Growing Spaces The community hubs explored in this report provide important pointers for how we might use the experience of Covid-19 as a springboard for sustained voluntary action that improves the quality of life in our local areas while building the resilience we will need to cope with future emergencies. Graham Duxbury, September 2020 Social infrastructure has come to the fore during the Covid-19 crisis, with an upsurge in volunteering and ‘mutual aid’, and many community buildings and open spaces repurposed as part of the emergency response. The experience has led many to consider how this infrastructure might be more effectively sustained as part of the recovery, embedded more fully in our approach to longer-term place-making, and used as a platform for community-led solutions to the twin crises of social care and climate change. Looking in detail at three examples, this report argues that ‘community hubs’ – places that provide a focus for a range of practical volunteering – can provide a strong base for addressing some of the issues facing people in ‘left behind’ communities. They are both an integral part of social infrastructure and support its wider development, promoting social cohesion, building trust and interaction between community members, and increasing people’s knowledge, skills, and wider networks. Making green space a central component of community hubs can improve both mental and physical health and stimulate a greater appetite for action on climate change and biodiversity loss. READ THE FULL REPORT: GROWING SPACES Twitter Facebook Linkedin Youtube Select your region Cheshire and Merseyside East Midlands East of England Greater Manchester Lancashire and Cumbria London North East North Wales Northern Ireland Scotland South East of England South Wales South West of England West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber UK Office GO PROJECTS PARTNER WITH US JOIN IN GROUNDWORK NEAR ME Careers Resources Apply for a grant Terms and conditions of use Privacy Accessibility Sitemap The Federation of Groundwork Trusts. Suite B2, The Walker Building, 58 Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NR Tel: 0121 236 8565. Email info@groundwork.org.uk Copyright © 2021 Groundwork. All Rights Reserved. Registered charity in England and Wales (No. 291558) Company reg 1900511