Belonging in Vancouver isn’t easy
For all its livability, natural beauty, and diversity, people who live in Vancouver often report the city is a hard place to feel connected to others. In 2012, The Vancouver Foundation conducted a series of surveys to investigate how widespread the feeling of social disconnection is in our city. In their Connections and Engagement report, they found that one-third of those surveyed (31%) had a difficult time making friends in Metro Vancouver. Among people who had recently arrived in Vancouver, that number jumped to 50% of all respondents. While 25% of Vancouverites reported feeling more alone than they would like, 41% of newcomers reported the same feeling.
Get to know your neighbours
The Belonging Project introduces you to the stories, struggles and strategies of six Vancouverites. Each week we invite you to explore belonging in our city by meeting a new neighbour, someone who has courageously agreed to open up to us about the pressures that shape their lives. We aim to discover how those who are most likely to feel alone and disconnected create a sense of belonging in our city.
via www.belongingproject.com/about-the-project.html
Project Director, The Belonging Project – Zakir Jamal Suleman
Zakir is a student in his final year of study in the Philosophy Honours program at The University of British Columbia. He has worked as an intern at the Vancouver Observer, an online award-winning news source. As a part of his volunteer experience, he has volunteered with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Britannia Community Center Planning and Development Committee, and Our Community Our Plan (A citizen focused neighbourhood planning group.) The Belonging Project began as an application for the Chapman Innovation Grants at the University of British Columbia.
www.belongingproject.com
Twitter: @HearTellLearn
Facebook: BelongingProjectVan
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