Resilience refers to the ability of a system, person, community ... to tolerate significant shocks.  If something severe happens to us, particularly if it was unexpected and caused by something beyond our control, our resilience is tested.  The more resilient among us are better able to bounce back and keep going.  

The concept of resilience is central to Transition.

In Transition we are particularly looking at the resilience of our towns and communities. We are looking at their ability to provide for us in the future.  How vulnerable are they to shocks that might come from outside our communities and beyond our control?  

"Resilience is, in a nutshell, the ability of a system, whether an individual, an economy, a town or a city, to withstand shock from the outside. Resilience is about building the ability to adapt to shock, to flex and modify, rather than crumble. You can think of it as being like building surge protectors into an electrical system." Taken from Transition in Action, an Energy Descent Action Plan

Here Rob Hopkins explains Resilience to a town meeting in Norfolk.

The current economic situation is really testing the resilience of our communities.  We are also very concerned about our ability to cope with restricted energy supplies and the prospect of highly fluctuating oil prices, as well as anticipated changes in our climate.

Transition recognises that our communities currently lack the resilience to withstand these sorts of shocks.  Through Transition activity we are exploring and developing ways to strengthen our communities from within in order to reduce our vulnerability and increase our ability to respond, survive and prosper.  

In Transition we see Resilience a desired state; the rebuilding of which could be hugely economically advantageous to our local communities

Want more?   What does resilience look like?  How serious is it?  Can we measure it?  Resilience - a few more definitions  Why Transition? workshop