Analysis During Lockdown

Last week I chaired a meeting of the CVS Board of Trustees and we began the discussion of reviewing how CVS had managed during the Covid19 Lockdown crisis and what that might mean for the future.. It was suggested that to help the analysis we might use this model. It bears some similarity to the well known and much used model SWOT (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) but is tailored to a crisis situation.

Crisis Response Measures

END
We’ve done these things to respond to immediate demands but they are specific to the crisis.

AMPLIFY
We’ve been able to try these new things and they show some signs of promise for the future.

LET GO
We’ve been able to stop doing things that were already/are now unfit for purpose.

RESTART
We’ve had to stop these things to focus on the crisis but they need to be picked up in some form.

STOPPED       STARTED       POST CRISIS

I thought it would be interesting to give it a trial run on my own personal experiences of living through the crisis in self isolation. My first tentative assessment produced the following:

END:

* Video conferencing – but see below!

* Comfort food and drink – more food than drink actually!

* Social isolation.

LET GO:

* This was the most challenging but has led me to review all my current activities and involvements to see if I feel I am continuing to make a useful contribution – not yet resolved!

AMPLIFY:

* Walking the dogs in the field and wood behind the house rather than driving several miles to busier spots.

*Increased contact with neighbours – not least the daily chat over the garden gate when returning from walking the dogs.

* Reading – so many part finished books!

* Video conferencing – where appropriate to reduce excess travelling.

* Increased contact with staff and volunteers.

RESTART:

* Face to face meetings.

* Socialising with family and friends.

* Doing my own shopping!

* Eating out.

* Holidays.

* Getting my hair cut!!

 

Mike Taylor
Chair
Cumbria CVS