Author: Ruqaiyyah Abuwala, MSc Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy & Transitions
When we see a problem in the world, we are likely to attribute it to something 'outside' us, something for someone else to address. But this event made me think differently about the problems we face as a society—be it climate change, food insecurity, or the housing crisis. We are all part of the problem. But we are, and can also be, a part of the solution.
In November, I attended the Community Resilience Assembly, a two-day hands-on learning event organised by UCL Students' Union in collaboration with Islington Climate Centre and funded by the Greater London Authority and the Network for Social Change. The Assembly brought together students, community practitioners, and local leaders from across London to explore what grassroots climate resilience can look like in action. Unlike traditional conferences dominated by theory, this was about sharing lived experiences, practical tools, and the real challenges and successes of community organizing.
I used to find myself thinking about community action sometimes, but it never translated into action. This Assembly gave me the knowledge and the tools to feel empowered to take action, and to have a glimpse of what potential solutions could look like.
What We Learned
Over the two days, we attended multiple seminars and workshops with both theoretical and hands-on practical knowledge: community mapping, emergency preparation, and developing emotional resilience, to name a few. The event concluded with a workshop on how to run a people's assembly, where we broke out into different groups and role-played as moderators, note-takers, and community members. It was a simple but powerful session on how to bring people together, resolve disagreements, and synthesize multiple views.
One idea that has stayed with me is how to engage with people who have not been at the centre of climate conversations, people whose needs, priorities, and motivations differ from my own. A healthy planet equals a healthy society. Most, if not all, climate solutions have significant overlaps with things that would be good for society too. Most, if not all climate solutions overlap with goals that benefit society at large. We do not always need to frame these efforts explicitly in terms of climate change or sustainability. Enhancing food security, improving disaster preparedness, reducing waste and the amount of things we consume—these are all good for the people and the planet. We can identify these shared goals and leverage them to bring more people into the fold.
As someone who has worked in the sustainability field in the private sector and is now studying the economics and policy of sustainable resources, I have had vast exposure to what top-down efforts to tackle climate change can look like. But grassroots action? Not as much as I would like. I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity, through this event, to truly understand the vital role communities play.
Recognizing ground realities and hearing the voices of people on the ground is crucial for any kind of meaningful change. And to harness the power of communities, it is also important that we educate, spread awareness, and consciously build lasting channels of communication and action.
Building Bridges Upward
Community action shouldn't happen in isolation. We need to engage with our local government representatives and work our way up the ladder to amplify our voices and get our concerns addressed.
As an aspiring policy-maker, I learned how this relationship can become a strong two-way street—where communities have real dialogues with policy-makers, and policy-makers know how to meaningfully engage the communities they represent.
Towards the end of the event, we had the opportunity to write letters to ourselves that would be mailed to us later. It feels serendipitous as I write this because just this morning, I received my letter.
It was a letter reminding myself to do two things, and I invite you, dear reader, to do the same:
Find out more about your community and the resources available to you. The website of your borough or local area will likely have this information.
(I have post-it notes stuck around my work table with locations and contact info for recycling bins and repair shops in my area.)
Identify a skill or passion that you can use to help those in your community. You don’t need to have specialised skills. Reach out to those in your community and find out how you can contribute.
(I plan to get involved with waste management initiatives in my area.)
