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What Social Impact Strategies Are Needed to Impact the Cost of Living Crisis
There are only 4 social impact strategy options to address the cost of living crisis. Social impact strategies are an important means of addressing the cost of living crisis. This guide looks at the 4 different types of interventions that can help people in their time of need.
The cost of living crisis is upon us and with the added challenges of spiralling housing costs and the impact of the energy rate increases.
UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) report that almost half (45%) of people in September were struggling with their energy bills. Whilst a 1/3rd of people (30%) are now finding it difficult to afford their housing costs.
The most vulnerable in our society are being hit hard according to the ONS. With 55% of those with disabilities struggling with energy bills and 36% finding it difficult to afford their housing costs. Every indicator points in the wrong direction making it ever more difficult for many people. And winter is coming.
Social Strategies to Create Social Impact
As we look together to support people through this crisis. It is important to be aware there are only 4 different types of social impact that we can have:
Social Impact Strategy Options: 1. Protect (Stay the Same.)
The goal of these types of social impact strategy options is to keep life as close as possible the same for those we are trying to help. This might be due to those we are helping being particularly vulnerable. Such as those who have mental health challenges, disabilities, or the elderly & frail. Change in these groups can have a disproportionately negative impact and quickly result in crises. (e.g resulting in a hospital stay). The social impact goals of these types of social strategies are to protect these vulnerable groups from change as much as possible.
The hierarchy of social intervention is a useful model for helping us scale our approach to the right level. Giving us a guide to balance cost and level of intervention to the right social structure. If we are to minimise the expensive (and often impersonal) interventions by the state we need to devise interventions through charity, communities and the friends and family of the most vulnerable.
Social Impact Strategy Options: 2. Adapt to the Situation.
This is perhaps the most common approach to social impact. Helping people to cope with the crisis through creativity and innovation. The goal is to help build people’s resilience by flexing to the situation. Typically this will be giving people advice and education to change their lifestyles. These are the common but vital everyday changes such as heating small spaces or themselves and not their entire premises. Cutting back on non-essentials.
These changes whilst small can really add up (accumulation of marginal gains). It is important to remember that there is no one silver bullet. It can be pretty demanding on service users to maintain many changes over a sustained period of time.
Whilst this is no doubt helpful and often the easiest option. This can lead people into boiling frog syndrome. (Where the heat gradually increases but they don’t notice until it is too late.) Making changes to feel like they are coping. Yet, sometimes this sometimes creates a false sense of security that can gradually lead to a sudden crisis tipping point. This also seems to tap into the bias towards the belief in survival of the fittest, which is not a good approach to social change.
Social Impact Strategy Options: 3. Change the Situation.
These are changes that mean that we can escape the challenges. These are the bigger more dramatic changes. The changes need more preparation and work, but with a resulting payoff.
One way could be helping people get higher-paid work. This crisis looks like a peculiar one in which there is no shortage of work available. Giving people support to gain new skills to help people increase their income can make a significant difference in people’s lives in one go.
Another form of situation change that will be necessary for many people in the shorter term is an increase in community support. Enabling people to pool and share their resources. Sharing food, space and community assets, can offset the challenges of people struggling on their own.
This has the added benefit of perhaps being the most beneficial to people’s mental health of all the options. Restricted disposable income limits people’s social opportunities. Building up our community response could make a significant difference in many people’s lives.
Social Impact Strategy Options: 4. Leave the System.
As the challenges worsen for many people may be forced to look to the example of older generations. Literally. Moving back home with parents or grandparents may be the option of last resort for many. But, it may be the most practical response to weather the financial storms upon us.
There may also may be positive social impacts from doing this. These could include: Addressing the problem of loneliness in the elderly. Helping address the increasing gaps in social care support. Meaning the elderly have support near them who know and understand their need. There could also be a benefit in decreasing childcare costs. As well as helping cross-generational learning.
Nonetheless, of all the social impact strategy options this might be the most psychologically challenging option for many. Creating new stresses during pressurised times. Sharing limited space, makes constant compromises necessary. A lack of personal space may also be a real challenge. This all creates the necessity of having social projects that can support and help impact these issues. Sharing learning and activating as a safety net to help deal with issues before they spiral out of control.
This could be a big change in our society over the coming months. The ONS report from the 2021 census found that 74% of people over 65 own their own home outright vs just 17% in the rest of the population. We live in a society where it is common for families to be living in small flats, whilst it is common for the elderly to continue to live in family homes. This may be a big driver for this change in our society in the coming months. There is a real opportunity for social projects to help people through this new social trend.
Conclusion
When taking a step back and looking at the intended social impact it is clear there are actually 4 types of social impact strategy options. Those creating new projects should consider where the opportunity is to make the biggest impact. It appears to me, we are probably overdependent on option 2 hoping people will adapt to the crisis. This could result in ‘boiling frog syndrome’ and we are not focusing on addressing the other options enough. It is important to look at all the options when devising social projects to help give people the right help for their circumstance.
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Question
What do you think the best approach for social projects addressing the cost of living crisis is?
Other relevant articles on the cost of living and social impact projects:
Social Projects: A Complete Guide.
Cost of Living: Social Projects Can Empower Us