What community means to me – Georgia Jenkins

When thinking about what community is to me, I was taken back to the start of the lockdown and how I saw the people around me pull together to create what they could to help those that needed it the most.

Working with our young people has given me different perspective of everyone here in Scotland. I was raised to say that they stick to themselves and they don’t have what I grew up knowing with my community in Australia as a extended family. In fact I saw everyone pull together to put parcels together, check in on each other, drive to the shops and purchase food and parcel up medicine to help the elders of our community.

I was involved in putting a program together that helps an online hub for our young people as a go to when it came to up to date information as life rolled out in lockdown. Did we know it would pan out how it did ? No not at all. But I was determined to do what I could to help. I researched online what was available and saw people change their jobs and resources that would provide facilities to put food parcels together, vans changing to help spread resources over the city.

Gathering of people sticking together to provide the learning for the young people whose parents are key workers. I reached out to the network of business people I knew to see who was doing what and How i could help them. Friends who own a restaurant were open to the young people I work with and I picked up and box and delivered what I could and watched the smiles on their faces when they received restaurant quality food for free. Art parcels to keep the young people’s mind active in creativity.

“Working with our young people has given me different perspective of everyone here in Scotland.” Georgia Jenkins

I created a whatsapp chat with my own colleagues when i saw that it was getting to them working from home so to pick up their spirits I delivered their mobile phones for work but also purchased a plant to add to their day and watch it grow. I filmed aspects of it and also sent photos as hints as I worked my way around edinburgh. The look on their faces made me feel warm and that even the small things makes a difference,

With my own work rather than sending posts I went to visit their homes and just stood back but to see what they were dealing with in reality was not what they were saying on the phone. So I was grateful to be able to pick up their spirits and let them know that they are not alone and that they had a go to person to help them through the next few days weeks months.

How I would make my community better is get the young people involved with the older generation and let them share their views on how we should create a more positive community.

Make Sunday the day of rest again nothing open but its about getting outside spending it with your community and loved ones. Do something that improves life in a positive way.

help become more sustainable and help the planet breathe by no cars on a sunday . More music more laughter more community spirit food days where the council open the parks for a gathering for all.

If you would like to learn more about Georgia and she helps shift limited belief systems into a more empowering mind, check out her website.