A Place-Based Approach to Recovery and Regeneration
Hélène Malandain @HeleneMalandain
1 July 2020
In the first few weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic, as our daily routines were suddenly superseded by an overpowering feeling of uncertainty, people and communities from across Aotearoa started to self-organise in response to the emerging situation. Whilst our country leaders needed the insights that only time, analysis and projections could offer to design a coordinated recovery plan, communities on the other hand could be nimble, responsive and innovative.
I strongly believe that we need a healthy combination of state intervention and community-driven initiatives to transition our economy and society out of crisis and into renewal. We have the opportunity of a lifetime to create a better future for all people, places and the planet. Realising this opportunity will require change at all levels of our systems and across all sectors: government, corporates, philanthropy, community, NGOs, anchor institutions etc. But on the second week of our lockdown, when pondering on how I could best contribute to the conversations at the upcoming Aotearoa Impact Unconference (organised by a terrific bunch of volunteers on April 24th to discuss our response to Covid-19), my mind went straight to communities. It was very early days, and it made it challenging to dream up what a collective response to the Covid-19 crisis should look like in Aotearoa, but the needs and opportunities for communities were very present, already very clear, and there was a palpable sense of urgency.
So I offered to facilitate a session on Place-based approach to recovery and regeneration. I was thrilled to find out that my topic received the highest number of votes from the 350 participants during the process of co-creating the programme — nothing to do with me, but all to do with the topic itself! This gives me great hope that the people who are actively involved in growing our impact economy seem to share my convictions around the significant role grass root initiatives and community enterprises should — and will — play in our recovery and renewal.
Place-based approach to recovery and regeneration: what opportunities to grow thriving local ecosystems? was the question I paused to the Impact Unconference participants.
The session was meant to explore and invite reflections around questions such as:
What are the potential levers to transitioning local economies out of Covid-19 crisis and into recovery, and better even, into regeneration? What new or urgent needs are there for local initiatives or local investment? What opportunities has the Covid-19 crisis highlighted or revealed for communities to take the lead in creating the positive change they want to see for themselves?
Behind the term ‘place-based’ is the idea that communities are best placed to identify opportunities for themselves, to craft responses to their own challenges, and to implement these. They do need however to be supported by favourable conditions or a favourable environment to do so effectively. The assumption behind what follows is that a place-based approach is an effective way to develop strong, equitable, sustainable, impactful local economies.
As a starting point, I offer a framework that is the result of the work I led at the Ākina Foundation last year, in my capacity as Director of Places & Networks. This framework outlines the key ingredients or factors for a local impact ecosystem to thrive in ‘normal’ times. It is intentionally generic and high level, to ensure its relevance for any place or community. It’s not perfect, it will never be, and it is worth noting that there are various other models out there. This is my starting point.
Given what we know about the ingredients that are needed for local ecosystems to thrive in ‘normal’ times, what does this look like through the Covid-19 lens?
Below are short explanations of each one of the ingredients in the model, along with a Covid-19 provocation to invite reflection, collaboration and innovation.
Culture of innovation, experimentation and creativity. This could take the form of innovation in economic development, or social innovation. It’s about impact entrepreneurship, and whether it’s supported and whether it’s valued in a given community. As a side note, the diversity, equity and inclusivity of a given community are highly influential in a community’s propensity to be innovative.
Covid-19 provocation: What sort of infrastructure do we need to create the conditions for civic innovation in response to the pandemic and its implications on how we live and work?
Effective communications and strong networks. This is about the ease of sharing information and ideas in the community, the existence — or not — of strong networks to deliberate and support action.
Covid-19 provocation: Are our platforms still relevant and effective in the emerging context? Are they still appropriate given the rapid shift in how we interact, engage, work and live?
Shared language — Having a shared language around impact, impact businesses, or an impact economy is key to a community collectively owning a vision and collectively working towards this vision. Language and storytelling have a great role to play in times of disruption.
Covid-19 provocation: How can we rally behind a collective narrative that will help us through ambiguity and uncertainty?
Local leadership. This is about our local leaders, across the business community, NGO community and local government. It’s about the ability of our leaders to manage local politics, to represent the community and to increase the wellbeing of the community.
Covid-19 provocation: Who are our true leaders in times of crisis? Who is stepping up? How do we propel them?
Skills and knowledge. This is about the human capital of a given place or community and how it is fostered. It’s about youth entrepreneurship, and it’s about the ways we grow our future leaders. It’s about education — formal or alternative — and it’s about fostering entrepreneurship through capability building services and coaching.
Covid-19 provocation: How can we accelerate transfer of knowledge through online channels in times of social distancing? Whilst in-person up-skilling and peer-to-peer support are highly impactful, technology has a role to play in enhancing transfer of knowledge, now more than ever before.
Access to resources, infrastructure and capital. This is about the assets of a given community, and whether they are accessible, whether they are well utilised. It is also about the forms of funding that are available to impact entrepreneurs.
Covid-19 provocation: The crisis is highlighting the need to think about value beyond economic value, and is highlighting the need for an intergenerational approach to investing in our communities. How can we mobilise capital that will generate long term value and benefits for the community?
Collaboration and partnerships. This is about the importance of collaboration within the community and across sectors, because the impact economy requires everyone to stand up, be on board and contribute. It’s about social networks and it’s about innovative partnerships.
Covid-19 provocation: What initiatives can accelerate true and effective collaboration? He waka eke noa, We’re all in it together -what does it look like in practice?
I’d love to hear from you, about what you’re seeing, what you’re hearing and what you’re doing in your own place or community. Is this approach helpful or relevant to you, your place, your community, your work? Can you share good examples of specific community-led initiatives that you believe are already playing a role in recovery? Find me on Twitter @HeleneMalandain