What does adaptive governance look like in crisis? Crisis exposes the limits of our systems - where rigid hierarchies slow responses and fragmented services fail those who need them most. When COVID-19 hit, Camden Council faced a dual challenge: respond to urgent residents needs and building an operating model capable of adapting to rapidly shifting realities. Approach • Led a two-week design sprint, focused on early intervention and prevention, meeting food needs and mapping service possibilities. • Managed a 16-person MDT, integrating perspectives from service delivery, digital and community engagement. • Facilitated two intensive 5-day sprints, resulting in 3 new services from food delivery and payment systems to triaging tools that prioritised the most vulnerable. • Designed a sustainable operating model, transitioning Camden’s emergency response from reactive firefighting to a holistic framework. Impact • Three critical services launched in two weeks, seamlessly integrated into existing council operations. • Embedded adaptive governance practices that could respond to evolving resident needs beyond immediate crisis.
2020