Pre- and post-pandemic attitudes toward participation in community-based initiatives: The case of Poznań

Abstract

This study describes and analyzes the pre- and post-pandemic approaches toward participation in communitybased initiatives by the residents of Poznań, Poland. Data for this study were collected through surveys with city dwellers (2018 and 2023) and interviews with local community leaders (2020). These results reveal a notable increase in the willingness to engage in community-based initiatives between 2018 and 2023, with the shared experience of the pandemic threat contributing to this shift. There is also a visible increase in the readiness to involve digitally mediated forms of participation among residents. In conclusion, this study underscores the need to sustain pandemic-driven social mobilization to build long-term community resilience.