Tuesday, 20 June

By Luis Obregon, Consultant at Inner Circle Consulting

In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic many of us are still working through feelings of isolation and disconnection from our communities. And as cities grow, many of us living in urban areas are now noticing more clearly the contradiction in our proximity to other people, while we interact only rarely with neighbours and potential friends.  The things we learned during the pandemic about collaboration and support seem hard to sustain as we are encouraged to go back to ‘normal’ – whatever that was.

Through my work as a consultant at ICC, and my involvement with diverse communities across the UK, I have often found that the answers to contemporary challenges require a deep sense of community between individuals. Much of what I do often involves creating frameworks to bridge gaps in communication and sharing. But I really understood the power of community support at a much deeper level when I ran the London Marathon earlier this year.

I was a first-time runner of the event, and I think that if it hadn’t been for the overwhelming cheers from spectators and the energy from fellow runners around me, I would probably have stopped, or perhaps even given up completely. At one point, when the challenge seemed impossibly hard, I decided to focus on a fellow runner who was running about 10 metres in front of me. I decided that if he could keep going, then I could too. As I followed him over and through the finishing line several hours later, I realised how much he, and all the other runners, had provided motivation and a sense of determination even when I found the going difficult and exhausting.

The marathon has given me a whole new energy for my work, as well as a greater appreciation for the role local authorities play in supporting their communities. I understand better too, how much their role relies on understanding what people in their communities are experiencing, fostering spaces where individuals feel supported and connected to each other, and using that energy to celebrate different perspectives and spark collaboration towards a greater purpose, like creating prosperous and inclusive places for everyone.

Currently, I’m working closely with the London Borough of Camden, whose community is well known for its strong sense of togetherness and unity. Inner Circle Consulting is supporting the Council to manage and allocate funds from its Community Investment Programme (CIP) that can support and develop schools, homes and community facilities to provide neighbourhoods and communities throughout Camden with essential services and infrastructure. It’s very clear to me how Camden residents care for one another, forging connections that extend beyond sharing geographical boundaries. Those connections can be clearly seen in community participation programmes, and their grassroots organisations. Through strongly established and nurtured community bonds, Camden is creating the capacity and resource to provide what its community needs and defend its interests.

Through strongly established and nurtured community bonds, Camden is creating the capacity and resource to provide what its community needs and defend its interests.

I deeply believe if we were to embrace the spirit of community witnessed in the marathon or listen to our communities like Camden continues to do, we could address the challenges we jointly face with a renewed sense of hope and determination. I run alone, and train alone. But I understand now that I belong to a running community and I am aware how much positive impact that feeling of togetherness can have on my mentality. When we feel supported by those around us, we are more likely to do better for ourselves and others and achieve great outcomes.

Life can seem overwhelming when approached from an individualistic perspective. But by embracing the spirit of community support, we can address the big challenges of life post-Covid – equal chances, secure housing, climate action and more – with a renewed sense of hope and determination.