NHS Volunteer Responders and Mutual Aid

26 March 2020

In response to the government’s callout for 250,000 volunteers to sign up to become NHS volunteer responders, Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK would like to share these thoughts and reflections.

It’s important that the government has recognised both the scale of the crisis faced by ordinary people up and down the country, and the vital role played by the thousands of community networks that have sprung up practicing solidarity and kindness in these challenging times.

People who want to sign up as an NHS volunteer responder should do so on an individual basis. It’s not appropriate for us, Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK, or for any of the local groups to sign up on behalf of the people who are committing to practice mutual aid in their communities.

Remember that there are people in our communities who might want to participate in mutual aid without providing the sort of identification documents that are necessary to engage with the government’s scheme, particularly during a time of uncertainty regarding the extent of policing we are likely to see in our communities. There are also situations where people seeking help may not feel comfortable or safe accessing government support, but would feel happy receiving support from ordinary people in their communities.

We encourage local groups to keep organising independently from government structures, continuing to follow rigorous hygiene and safeguarding practice and to communicate between each-other to learn and develop community solidarity structures during a time of very uneven support from official bodies. With the deepening of the pandemic, people’s needs and struggles will change dramatically, and mutual aid networks’ capacity to respond flexibly and locally mean that they are, and will continue to be, vital in connecting individuals to help and to their communities.

To find your local mutual aid group, go here.