By Jacqui Reid

PEOPLE In my community in Renfrewshire share the views of the rest of the Scottish population: we believe everyone should have enough to get by, and that all families deserve the same opportunities, regardless of their circumstances or background.

But our current economic system locks people into poverty. People are forced to make heart-breaking choices between feeding the kids, heating the house or paying for transport to get to work. Add to this a global pandemic. People were stretching already finite resources while losing 20% of their wages or claiming Universal Credit. Too many families are crumbling in the face of this modern-day disaster – losing not only their home but familial support structures: leading to relationship breakdowns, mental health crises and children once again enduring the harsh reality of the grip of poverty.

Societal freedoms came to an abrupt end in March 2020 and humanity faced a precipice: work together to support each other, or vie for supplies and resources? Thankfully, local people rose to the challenge: proving those words often spoken – social justice, compassion, community – weren’t platitudes, but at the heart of our shared values as a community.

Authorities and charities were indebted to those who answered the call: their staff working from home, or furloughed. Local response, at the coal face, faced a steep learning curve in our new chosen roles. After all, who could have anticipated a disaster of this magnitude around the corner? But small community projects, used to managing on a shoestring, stepped up and this approach and skill set will prove invaluable in the face of ever reducing funding pots as we recover from the pandemic.

Many gained new insight into the struggles experienced daily by others during the pandemic: driving people to look for a way to help loosen the grip of poverty, assisting our volunteer recruitment drive.

In my own area, community groups have proven their worth by embedding lifeline services into communities, and our successful approach can be quantified. Children who went to school hungry are now supported at free breakfast clubs; households have access to healthy foods, whilst reducing landfill through surplus food initiatives; advice services, literacy help and a buddy system to tackle social isolation and help build connectedness in our communities.

Now, we face another fork in the road: how can we ensure that community-based groups and organisations can build on all that they have achieved over the last 18 months in supporting people to stay afloat? We have shown – through being embedded into the very fabric of communities – that we can do achieve larger third sector organisations often can’t.

This is why it’s important that we reflect on, and better financially support, locally-led and community-based groups and projects in order to loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives. This core funding would support sustainable growth, encouraging and facilitating locals to provide solutions that act as lifelines in their communities, allowing true community-led regeneration and empowerment.

Jacqui Reid works with Community Action for Erskine, Bishopton and Inchinnan, (EBI) Unites.