Our Team – – – Our Friends – – – Our Impact
Who we are
Neighbourhood Connect Inc. is a national not-for-profit community organisation, helping people connect with others who live near them. We encourage people to go beyond social media and step out into their neighbourhoods and get to know one another in real life.
We are run by a voluntary Board and project team, and have a growing group of Community Connectors leading neighbourhood groups across Australia. We have no political or religious affiliations.
There is now over 25 groups that we have helped start and a total of over 50 groups in the Neighbourhood Connect Network. Formerly known as The Street by Street Project, we commenced in 2014 with a model developed by The Centre for Civil Society, a social policy and social innovation institute.
Our vision is that every Australian has the opportunity to be connected in a neighbourhood group and enjoy feeling part of a community.
Our mission is to create a connected neighbourhoods movement across Australia so that people feel happier, safer and more supported.
Our values are: Community, Collaboration, Inclusiveness, Kindness, Sharing and Active citizenship.
Everyone benefits from community life – older people can stay in their homes longer if neighbours give them a hand, people with a disability are included, people with a social life suffer less from depression and social isolation and safety is improved when neighbours look out for you and your property.
Research shows that people with strong social connections live longer, have better mental health, improved physical health and are happier. See the research.
What we do
We promote health and wellbeing by facilitating the formation of neighbourhood groups and supporting people to become Community Connectors. We give ideas, examples, tools, encouragement and support, and assist step by step at no cost.
Community connection is an important antidote to loneliness, depression and anxiety, which have reached epidemic proportions in Australia. We provide education on the links between:
- depression, anxiety and loneliness and lack of community connection
- community connection and positive health outcomes