‘Never waste a good crisis'. The Municipality of Rotterdam wants to turn Bospolder-Tussendijken (BoTu) in Rotterdam-West, into a 'resilient neighbourhood'. During the first lockdown, a number of initiatives popped up here to help residents in need through the crisis.
Commissioned by the municipality, Veldacademie is conducting a long-term monitor of community resilience in the Bospolder and Tussendijken districts of Rotterdam. This is in line with the neighbourhood development programme Resilient BoTu 2028. However, resilience only really comes to the surface when the need arises, as it did during the corona crisis.
BoTu, a neighbourhood often highlighted in the news in association with "nuisance, deprivation and poverty", was already struggling with various social challenges prior to the crisis.This was why the Resilient BoTu 2028 neighbourhood development programme was launched in 2018. Central to the approach is working bottom up, together with strong and connected local communities, where residents can experience and utilize their collective strength. Among other things, this will be done by better connecting formal and informal social networks and working according to the principles of communitybuilding. The aim of the programme is to match the neighbourhood with the urban average of Rotterdam in the Social Index (District Profile Municipality of Rotterdam, only in Dutch available) within ten years and also become the first resilient neighbourhood in Rotterdam.
The consequences of the corona crisis on the daily life of Rotterdam are huge, especially in neighbourhoods like Bospolder-Tussendijken. The requests for help from neighbourhood residents multiplied and became more urgent at the beginning of the first lockdown in March 2020. Numerous initiatives soon emerged to help local residents in need, including the delivery of food parcels and meals, a roadside assistance centre, food parcels and meals, a giveaway shop and the provision of 1,000 laptops for home-based education. What factors facilitate this way of acting in practice?
Graphic: '2020 Corona Chronicles’, Studio NadiaNena
To find an answer to this question, Veldacademie collected data on initiatives and acts of cooperation in the neighbourhood at the beginning of the first lockdown. They spoke with over fifty residents, initiators, entrepreneurs and officials about the changes in the neighbourhood during a time of crisis. Five important insights emerged:
1) Existing networks
A strong network is essential for a community to be resilient and that can be used in times of crisis. Previous instances of cooperation ensured an existing relationship of trust through which people knew each other's strengths and could make use of them.
2) Cooperation between informal and formal actors
It was primarily existing initiators who started social initiatives within an informal context. These initiatives came about quickly and effectively because informal actors worked together with formal actors. Joining forces made the actions of these initiatives more effective.
3) Flexibility in roles
During the lockdown, various actors showed flexibility in the roles they played in the neighbourhood. For example, they took on new responsibilities in order to meet the changing demand. This ensured low-threshold and rapid access to financial resources and logistical support, among other things. In particular, a strong sense of necessity stimulated this role change.
4) Location-specific policies
The crisis policy in BoTu followed the national policy of the government, which in several cases limited the district's ability to act in a resilient manner. In compliance with the corona measures, meeting places were closed, places that are of special importance in this neighbourhood.For example, the market in Bospolder-Tussendijken provides access to affordable food and a community centre simultaneously provides access to reliable information.
5) Communication
Effective communication is essential for tackling challenges in times of crisis. It provides access to networks and information needed to make resilient action possible. In Bospolder-Tussendijken, a community platform was set up during the crisis for informal and formal actors so that they could easily coordinate supply and demand.
Whether and to what extent the insights from the corona crisis will lead to structural changes will become clear in the future. To this end, the Resilience Monitor in BoTu, part of the 10-year programme Resilience BoTu 2028, will continue to follow the development of community resilience in the years to come. The full report can be read here.
Join the discussion 'BoTu: community resilience during the corona crisis'
On the 7th of October, from 9:30 - 11:00 am, we will discuss further about the findings and exchange knowledge regarding the framework for action for policy makers and area workers focused on resilient neighborhood development. Strengthening the responsive role of government is central to this. The location will follow soon. Register by sending an email to marthe@veldacademie.nl.
Photo: Stichting Wijkcollectie