Coronavirus: Supporting resilience in the pandemic context

In these unprecedented times it is crucial that we think about our own, our families’ and our communities’ resilience. Members of the Boingboing community, together with the Centre of Resilience for Social Justice (CRSJ) at the University of Brighton, have been working on resilience for many years. With the Resilience Revolution being piloted in Blackpool joining the collaboration in 2016, we are able to test and learn how our approach and research can be mobilised across a whole town. We have developed some useful tools and approaches that suggest practical things that people, families and communities can do when times are especially tough. And for sure, the coronavirus crisis is making us face adversities that we have never experienced before.

In response to the unfolding situation, over the coming weeks and months we are producing a series of blogs and resources that look at how we can best support our own and others resilience during, and beyond, this coronavirus crisis. For example, we will be looking at the ‘Resilient Moves’ you can make to help yourself and/or on behalf of others using our Resilience Framework as a guide. And of course, in line with our mantra ‘beating the odds whilst also changing the odds’ (Hart et al., 2016) we will be thinking about more than just our individual resilience, but also that of wider communities and society. In particular we will be thinking about the most disadvantaged people and how we can support them. Anything we do to build resilience must both support individuals, and also challenge and disrupt the things that make it harder for people in the first place. In other words, our understanding of resilience is about overcoming adversity whilst also changing the causes of that adversity.

Supporting children and young people’s mental health – A guide for schools

Supporting children and young people’s mental health: A guide for schools using a resilience based approach, and Supporting children and young people’s mental health during Covid-19 pandemic: A supplementary section.

Youth activism in Newham; reflections on a co-produced research project undertaken during a global health pandemic

In this blog Ishrat and Amanda share their reflections on taking part in co-produced research working alongside co-research teams in Blackpool, Cornwall, Newham and Brighton as part of the wider ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ research project.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inquiry – Submission of evidence

In this submission to The House of Lords a group of academics, students, practitioners, parents/carers and young people working as and with disadvantaged communities share their thoughts on whether progress has been made by Government in its ambition to improve children and young people’s mental health provision.

Living online: The long term impact on wellbeing – Submission of evidence

In this submission to The House of Lords a bunch of us with different experiences shared our thoughts around how individuals and groups can better access online environments. We suggested the government may potentially help people access the digital world by improving digital inclusivity, accessibility, and data accountability.

Reflections on a co-research project into civic activism – nothing about us without us!

In this blog the co-leaders of the Resilience Revolution’s pilot in Blackpool share news about how things are going with the exciting new ‘Nothing about us without us’ project that a group of us including Boingboing, Brighton Uni and the Centre of Resilience for Social Justice (CRSJ) were lucky enough to win funding for in September 2020.

The Economic Impact of Covid-19 on Young People – Submission of evidence

In this submission we outline and discuss the economic impact of Covid-19 on young people in Blackpool and provide recommendations for immediate and long-term interventions.

Disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities: Follow up

In a follow up to our previous submission, we draw on our collective organisational and personal experiences, relating them to policy and practices associated with COVID-19, disabilities and equalities more generally.

Building organisational resilience with the Noble Truths during COVID-19

This blog by Mental Health Nursing Lecturer and PhD student Lucy Colwell describes how the social enterprise Eggtooth has used the Noble Truths of the Resilience Framework to guide their response to the pandemic context.

Being a care leaver in the pandemic: Injustice within the system and opportunities for change

This blog is co-authored by Charlotte, 24 and Caitlin, 20 who teamed up with Nathan from the Resilience Revolution in Blackpool to share experiences and perspectives of being a care leaver in the pandemic.

Creative activism during a pandemic: Creating zines focused on changing the odds

Throw together Fashion Communication students, a CRSJ PhD student, youth and adult co-leaders from the Resilience Revolution in Blackpool, craft materials, social justice inspiring publications and…. oh yeah, a Global Pandemic, and what do you get?

Türkiye’de Kovid-19 Pandemi süreci blog

Bu yazı ile Kovid-19 pandemi döneminde psikolojik danışma alanında yılmazlık bakış açısı ile bir durum değerlendirmesi yapmayı hedefledik. [This blog (in Turkish) discusses family resilience as an example of systems approach and a way of strengthening communities in the current context of Covid-19.]

Top Tips for enhancing a resilient climate in school during the crisis

Schools and colleges need to create systems which are flexible and responsive to changing guidance and meet the need of everyone in the community. The crisis has demonstrated schools’ central role in the community as well as the rich depth of education they provide including and beyond the curriculum.