Beyond Boundaries: Reinventing Community Resilience
By Stephen Craker, Chief Executive of Communities 1st
Right now, our communities stand at a unique crossroads. The landscape around us is shifting significantly - local government is reorganising, the NHS is embracing neighbourhood-based health solutions, and employers are facing fresh financial pressures, notably from recent increases in National Insurance contributions. Yet, amidst this complexity lies a rare opportunity for radical, imaginative thinking - a moment to dream big, and innovate boldly.
When I think about our future, I try to see beyond the immediate challenges of today. Imagine a world where local governance isn't just efficient, but deeply compassionate, driven entirely by the needs and aspirations of the communities it serves. Imagine if NHS neighbourhood health wasn’t just another restructuring, but genuinely community-shaped, placing prevention, holistic care, and meaningful engagement at its heart. Imagine a vibrant voluntary sector fully empowered and sustainably funded, becoming the backbone of local resilience, innovation, and connection.
At the centre of this vision is something profoundly simple yet revolutionary: genuine community ownership. Communities should not just be consulted; they should actively drive the changes that affect their lives. True community engagement means co-creating services, influencing decisions from the outset, and being trusted to lead, not merely invited to participate.
The reorganisation of local government and the shift towards neighbourhood health care must not become bureaucratic exercises. Instead, they should be platforms for real innovation, spaces where bold ideas aren't dismissed as unrealistic but embraced as necessary. We must challenge ourselves to think differently - how can we collectively create governance structures and health systems that are truly by and for the people they serve?
As employers face increasing financial burdens, there’s a real risk to community organisations’ vital services. Yet, this crisis is also a call to action. It invites us to fundamentally rethink how our sector is valued and supported. Stable, long-term investment in voluntary and community organisations is not an expense but an essential investment in our collective future.
Communities 1st sits at the quiet heart of these possibilities - not loudly, but confidently, supporting connections, facilitating conversations, and fostering partnerships that spark genuine, grassroots-led transformation. It’s our role to help these visionary ideas land safely, rooted in the reality and aspirations of local communities.
Let’s be brave enough to ask: "What if...?" Let’s dare to dream big and commit to working collaboratively, authentically, and innovatively. Because the challenges we face today are precisely the opportunities we need - to think boldly, act decisively, and transform our communities for generations to come.
Stephen Craker,
Chief Executive, Communities 1st.
