The Myth of Community

In 1998 I opened the first Headway House in inner London and it didn’t take very long for me to realise that people with acquired brain injuries were some of the most isolated in our society. Having experienced an extremely traumatic life changing experience, often extended periods of hospitalisation, loss of family, friends, job role and identity they then come under constant pressure to complete their rehabilitation, minimise their support services, regain their independence and move on into the ‘community’. It has left me wondering what is this ‘community’, the one that appears so ill-equipped to cope?

There is a romantic notion that, in times gone by, community was strong, people looked out for each other and no-one was excluded. You only have to read books about the experiences of immigrants or the poor to realise that this was never really the case. Community is something we all have to work at, it doesn’t just happen. For most people their community is their workplace, their social or sports club, their extended family, their place of worship or a group of friends – essentially a group of people that come together for mutual support, work and enjoyment based on a common interest. If you are suddenly excluded from all of these groups, then you become isolated. All talk of independence and ‘returning to the community’ becomes irrelevant, there is no community and you will remain isolated.

Headway East London’s Headway House is an example of a community that supports people with acquired brain injuries, where people come together for mutual support, work and enjoyment. This provides the building block for improving self-esteem and learning new skills which in turn leads to increased engagement in and contribution to society.

When discharge from services is being considered, ‘professionals’ should be asking the question ‘Discharge to what?’ People are social beings and operate best in community; if they don’t have a community their physical, mental and spiritual well being will invariably suffer and society will have to pay for the consequences.