What Residents Say: How social connections strengthen emergency preparedness
Connect & Prepare has substantial positive impacts on residents’ resilience
As Vancouver resident and Connect & Prepare workshop participant Randall MacKinnon describes it, Connect & Prepare is “an open door to walk through and say ‘hi’ to neighbours you haven’t met before.” And these new social connections immediately begin weaving stronger roots for preparedness.
Connect & Prepare is a series of workshops originally piloted by Building Resilient Neighbourhoods (BRN) and VictoriaReady, the City of Victoria’s emergency management division, that brings neighbours together to develop social connections and shared emergency preparedness. In 2022-23, nonprofit and local government partners delivered Connect & Prepare in ten market and non-market multi-unit buildings in Vancouver, New Westminster, and North Vancouver—and the participating residents reported many and varied positive impacts.
Social connections spark spontaneous support
In a survey completed by more than half of participating residents across the three communities, 95% said they got to know their neighbours better—and for 80%, this led to sharing knowledge, skills, or resources.
80% of residents said Connect & Prepare led to sharing knowledge, skills, or resources.
95% of residents said they got to know each other better
Connect & Prepare Participant
“I have a walker [and live] on the third floor. Every time we have a fire-drill, a neighbour checks in on me to make surethat I am okay. Not everyone might have this. [Connect & Prepare] reminds people of the importance of having such a system.”
Everyone has valuable gifts
In North Vancouver, a resident had recently moved in to care for an ill sibling—and through the Connect & Prepare workshops gained new neighbour-acquaintances who offered emotional and practical support. Two residents discovered their children had similar disabilities, and shared their learnings and exchanged contact information. An elderly resident inspired others with her stories of how her habit of doing friendly check-ins on neighbours had twice helped save lives.
“These were great examples of how everyone has valuable gifts to share, and just bringing a group together can create informal support networks,” comments Caitlyn Swail, the Connect & Prepare facilitator for North Shore Community Resources.
And with stronger connections came more engagement, as 97% of participating residents reported improved understanding of their neighbours’ shared strengths, assets and vulnerabilities, and 86% said they took action to build long-term resilience and emergency preparedness.
97% of residents reported improved understanding of their neighbours’ shared strengths, assets and vulnerabilities.
Engaging harder-to-reach residents strengthens community resilience
The Connect & Prepare workshops were delivered in many buildings with high percentages of isolated seniors and residents with disabilities or income insecurity. In New Westminster, some residents initially felt wary of gatherings; however, as word about the workshops spread, those feelings shifted. “It was heartening to see the transformation of isolated seniors into active participants and contributors within their communities,” says Connect & Prepare facilitator Noel Pio Roda from Seniors Services Society of BC.
Residents who faced some of the biggest personal challenges in their lives often became the ones most dedicated to assisting each other. “I found it inspiring,” comments Pat Steiner, who facilitated Connect & Prepare for Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House in Vancouver. “And the residents felt empowered through the process.”
During the workshops, interested residents were also linked to community supports such as meal deliveries, computer assistance, library book deliveries, or in-home help, which increased their resilience and ability to age in place.
Noel Pio Roda, Connect & Prepare Facilitator, Seniors Services Society of BC
“It was heartening to see the transformation of isolated seniors into active participants and contributors within their communities”
Inspiring resident leadership
Among more active residents, the workshops fostered robust engagement and leadership. Resident Beverly Penner says that, in her Vancouver building, residents planned to use an email list to help check on each other, and stocked a closet with first aid and cooling kits, water, emergency blankets, and more. “We have a fabulous collection of supplies, and almost everything was donated by people in the building,” says Penner.
In North Vancouver, a group of neighbours wrote their own prevention and preparedness guide explaining safety measures for excessive heat, water leaks, appliance maintenance, and more. With a small City grant, the neighbours then purchased starter emergency kits for everyone in the building, and put their new guide inside each kit along with a flashlight, whistle, mask, and batteries.
New Westminster resident Anne Ladouceur says that Connect & Prepare brought together people in the building who tended to be engaged residents or leaders. “Many people in the building had been thinking about doing stuff [to improve emergency preparedness], but in a nebulous way. The program provided us with a concrete structure to start putting something into place. It was really helpful.”
In the final survey, 95% of residents said they were “very likely” to recommend the program to a friend or relative. “Connect & Prepare is a valuable tool,” says Ladouceur. “It kickstarted a process.”
95% of residents said they were “very likely” to recommend the program to a friend or relative.
Anne Ladouceur, Connect & Prepare Participant
“The [Connect & Prepare] program provided us with a concrete structure to start putting something into place. It was really helpful.”
BRN Executive Director Stacy Barter believes all of these positive impacts aptly demonstrate the core philosophy of Connect & Prepare. “It’s exciting,” says Barter. “It shows that strengthened social connections can lead directly to greater resilience to acute emergencies and long-term, chronic stresses for a diverse array of residents in a wide range of ways.”
Stacy Barter, Executive Director, Building
“It shows that strengthened social connections can lead directly to greater resilience to acute emergencees and long-term, chronic stresses for a diverse array of residents in a wide range of ways.”
Resilient Neighbourhoods
Data shared in this story was based on surveys completed by 56% of program participants.
