Neighbours Helping Neighbours

Growing the supportive communities we all want to live in.

What is Neighbours Helping Neighbours (NHN)?

Everyone appreciates having a neighbour they can easily ask for a simple favour or whom they could call on in an emergency. Neighbours are always close by–and so are uniquely positioned to create communities of mutual support!

Unfortunately, neighbours often don’t know each other well enough to feel comfortable reaching out. Neighbours Helping Neighbours is a collaborative initiative that brings neighbours together to meet, do fun activities, and learn about simple ways they can look out for and assist one another.

Get in touch to learn more!

Do you want to help foster caring, intergenerational communities of neighbours? Whether you’re a resident, building manager, community agency or organization, get in touch to learn more about how we can help!

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Neighbours Helping Neighbours stories

Big red bow clipped to the door knob on a white door

Pam’s story

Pam believes in the power of neighbours helping neighbours and has made an effort to know others in her building. Her next-door neighbour, Mid, was concerned a few years ago, that if something happened to her overnight, no one would know. Mid now hangs a bow outside her door from 7am to 9pm so Pam knows she’s OK. When Mid experienced a recent health emergency, Pam was there to offer help and comfort while she called for an ambulance. Now they speak just about every day.

Nicole stands on the left wearing a puffy jacket. She's smiling and hugging Tegan and Tegan's mom on the right.

Nicola & Tegan’s story

Nicola misses being in the daily lives of her daughter and grandsons, who live far away in Europe. So, when her neighbour became a new mother, Nicola offered to help out in any way she could–and now enjoys taking the baby for walks and occasionally preparing meals for the family.

An older lady (Wendy) wearing a red button up sitting in her chair while petting her brown and white cat

Wendy’s story

Wendy knows all of the residents on her floor, and they check in with each other regularly. Every evening, Wendy and her next door neighbour knock on their shared wall around the same time, just to let each other know they’re okay.

Resources & stories

White background with blue large text that reads "Lets talk housing: a podcast by BC Housing" with a subtitle that reads "Emergencies in Community:Tenants Supporting Tenants"

“Let’s Talk Housing” BC Housing Episode

Since 2023, BRN has been collaborating with BC Housing to strengthen Tenant Resilience and support creating more prepared and connected communities at BC Housing sites. Through the delivery of BRN’s…

Three Floor Connectors smiling in front of the pre-packaged grab and go bags

Connect & Prepare “Should Be in Every Building!”

Collaborating on emergency preparedness fosters residents’ collective resilience—and lived experiences of disabilities can be valuable assets in the process. This is one of the key takeaways from a unique collaboration in Vancouver, British Columbia that resulted in many resident-participants—and also staff at the organizations involved—feeling inspired and transformed.

Header image with text inviting people to the next Neighbours Helping Neighbours session on May 31st in James Bay.

Neighbours Helping Neighbours West Coast Kick Off!

Who do you call when you could use a hand with a simple household task, when you need to borrow an item. How do you stay safe during an extreme…

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What is Neighbours Helping Neighbours?

Building Resilient Neighbourhoods and Hey Neighbour Collective recently launched their new program Neighbours Helping Neighbours (NHN). Can you give us an overview of what NHN is and what needs it’s…

The Prepare for Heat Guide cover page floats in the foreground with a cooling centre sign in Vancouver in the background.

Are you and your neighbours safely connected and prepared for extreme heat? Try out our new neighbour-to-neighbour guide

Building Resilient Neighbourhoods (BRN), in collaboration with Hey Neighbour Collective, has published a new, free guide called Prepare Together for Extreme Heat.

NHN Partner Resources

Explore resources from our NHN partners.

Good Neighbour Kitsilano

Curated resources to connect neighbours, build networks of care and support, and prepare for emergencies.

Resources

NORC Ambassadors Program

Resources, ideas & guides to help groups of neighbours to Age in Place in their communities.

Do It Yourself Guide Activity Idea Bank

Building Resilient Neighbourhoods and Hey Neighbour Collective

Building Resilient Neighbourhoods and Hey Neighbour Collective are collaborating with an amazing group of partners to co-develop, test and learn together about different approaches to Neighbours Helping Neighbours.

Black and blue text reads: Building Resilient Neighbourhoods. Beside the text there is bright green house with orange shutters and a purple door with a red heart coming out of the chimney. In front of the house there is a blue stick figure on a bike.

Black text reads Hey Neighbour Collective. There is a black speech bubble on the top right corner.

Current partners

West End Seniors Network, Vancouver BC
Brightside Community Homes Foundation, Vancouver BC
James Bay New Horizons, Victoria BC
Good Neighbour Kitsilano, Vancouver BC

Big letter B appears in a redish-orange color. Beside the B purple text reads: Brightside.

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In collaboration with Hey Neighbour Collective

Neighbours Helping Neighbours is a pilot program developed with support and collaboration from Hey Neighbour Collective.

Hey Neighbour Collective brings together diverse stakeholders to experiment with and learn about ways of building community, social connectedness and resilience in BC’s fast-growing multi-unit housing communities.

Learn more about Hey Neighbour Collective