The Power of Community: Building Support Networks for Better Health
Community power building aims to alter the underlying conditions that impact communities’ wellbeing, altering policy discussions and decision-making as well as altering power dynamics within cities.
Beginning by gathering individuals experiencing similar problems such as low wages, housing insecurity and gentrification into groups, they create a shared agenda and identify leaders within the community who can mobilize support.
1. Get to Know Your Neighbors
Once upon a time, people were more likely to know all their neighbors and many families on their block; nowadays however, many can go days without even seeing or engaging with any of their neighbors.
Meeting your neighbors can be one of the easiest ways to build community and improve health, both of which benefit greatly from getting acquainted. Your neighbours can provide helpful and supportive assistance during times of need, while you could pay it forward by sharing some tasty cookies from your kitchen or extra tomatoes from your garden.
Neighbours can play an invaluable role in monitoring your home and property while you’re not there, alerting you of any issues in the area – such as burglary or crime on the street. Furthermore, should an emergency arise whereby you lock yourself out or the power goes out in your house, they could let you back in or find another means into it for access.
2. Become a Member of a Church or Social Organization
No matter their religious, social, or physical needs, most people need community to survive. Being part of a group makes us less lonely and gives us a sense of security – hence why so many churchgoers see church membership as integral to their lives, providing members with an outlet to form meaningful relationships and offer mutual support in times of difficulty.
Formalizing church membership procedures is key to strengthening and unifying its community. Instead of relying solely on attendance figures, a membership system allows a church to better predict attendance numbers and plan events such as mass or youth groups more accurately – something especially essential given current regulations around COVID-19 that may cause gathering numbers to fluctuate significantly.
Establishing membership requirements can also serve to weed out those unsuitable for certain roles within the congregation. Such requirements might include things such as meeting specific financial stability thresholds or signing an oath to uphold the mission and vision of the church.
3. Make a New Friend
When it comes to creating a strong community, you must make an effort to connect with others. You can do this either by finding old acquaintances and reconnecting, or meeting new people.
Consider joining a group with similar interests, like a book club or sports team, then attend social events where these groups will be present. Meetup is another good way of making new friendships online.
When making new friends, don’t get disheartened if the relationship takes time to blossom. Friends are an effective stress relief solution and may help lower risks such as high blood pressure, heart issues and digestive issues. Be wary of toxic relationships which drain your energy; choose friends that elevate and uphold you instead; you won’t regret doing so!
4. Become a Volunteer
Volunteering has long been recognized as an excellent way to give back to the local community, but it also brings numerous health advantages for participants. According to studies, volunteers tend to experience better mental and physical wellbeing as well as lower stress levels compared with non-volunteers.
Volunteering can also reduce stress by helping individuals form social connections and make new friends, leading to increased happiness and improved self-esteem, reduced depression risk and feelings of loneliness.
Research has also demonstrated that volunteers are more likely to take steps toward their own health, such as receiving cholesterol tests or flu shots, which may increase lifespan. Not all forms of volunteering, however, have similar cumulative effects – this study investigates whether other-oriented and self-oriented volunteering have different impacts on various outcomes in an adult population sample.
