To synthesize all of our learnings throughout the course of this project, we created a Practice Guide for implementing resident-led social programming in multi-unit rental housing, titled, Learning from the Community Connectors. We created this report collaboratively with our partners at Hey Neighbour Collective, to synthesize our research findings from separate wellbeing-focused assessments of Concert’s Community Connectors program.
This final report shares the key learnings from the Community Connectors program, starting a conversation on how—and why—rental housing providers can implement similar social programming initiatives.
Goals of the Practice Guide:
The Practice Guide includes resources for landlords, building managers, residents, and other housing organizations and operators (with a focus on rental housing). The goals of the Guide are to:
- Share evidence, best practices, and innovative ideas on how to promote wellbeing and social connectedness in multi-unit housing through programming and design.
- Understand the wellbeing impacts of Concert Properties’ Community Connectors program on landlords, staff, residents, and resident volunteers (Connectors).
- Share learnings and recommendations for implementing programming to support neighbourly social connections in multi-unit housing.
Why social connections matter in multi-unit housing
As the pandemic has highlighted, social connections are the building blocks for community resilience. In the face of personal and collective crises—including COVID-19—socially connected neighbours can lean on each other for support, such as by checking in regularly, offering to run errands, or delivering meals when people are sick. And when people feel supported, they tend to be healthier and happier, too.
By bringing neighbours together—despite the pandemic—the Community Connectors program showed how resident-led social programming is for building a sense of community and resilience resilience.
Learning from the Community Connectors
We invite you to explore the Practice Guide below.
You can also read our short blog summarizing the key learnings here.
