On this page, we talk about connecting with the community.

On this page:

• Why it is important to connect with your community
• How you can connect with your community
• Example story

Connecting with your community can help you enjoy your life.

Community is important for your health.

This includes the health of your:

• body
• mind.

When you connect with your community, it can help you feel:

• that you have support
• like you can try new things
• less alone.

You might feel:

• better about yourself.
• like you want to help other people.

We know it can be hard to start connecting with your community.

We have some ideas to help you.

You can start with a small goal.

For example, you can make a plan to meet up with one person once a week.

You can contact people yourself.

And not just wait for people to contact you.

You can build a connection with people that you see often, but do not know well.

For example, someone who makes your coffee at the cafe you visit each day.

You can just say ‘Hi, how are you?’

You can try saying ‘yes’ to more things.

For example, if someone invites you to go bowling.

You can find a group you could join.

It might be a group that does something you enjoy.

Or it might be a group of people who are similar to you.

You might want to join a class with other people to learn something new.

For example, yoga or a musical instrument.

You can show people how you would like them to treat you.

For example, if you like getting a birthday card, then you can give other people birthday cards.

You can spend time with your family and friends.

You can practise connecting with people.

The more you practise, the better you will get at it.

We wrote a story to show an example of someone connecting with the community.

The story we wrote is about a person called Laura.

The story and the people in it are not real.

We made them up to explain someone connecting with the community.

Laura used to play her guitar every day, but she stopped played a long time ago.

She remembered how much she enjoyed playing her guitar.

Laura saw a flyer in her community for a guitar class near her, so she decided to go.

Now Laura loves playing the guitar again.

She also has new friends that she met at the guitar class.

Laura often meets with her new friends for coffee after the guitar class.