Creating Change > Social Environment Level: Social Connections>

Fostering Social Connections: An Ecological Approach

• The Individual
• The Social Environment
• The Physical Environment
• Policies and Regulations
  

Fostering Social Connections: The Individual

Strategies

If opportunities to socialize and develop relationships are present, people are generally more likely to participate in physical activity. You can encourage and promote social connections at the individual level by encouraging clients, patients, members, or community members to:

• Join a class or a club
• Invite a friend to participate in an activity
• Speak to their families about how important activity is to both physical and mental well-being
• Ask family members to support an individual’s physical activity endeavours
• See themselves as a motivator and supporter of other peoples' physical activity pursuits

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Fostering Social Connections: The Social Environment

Strategies

You can try the following strategies to foster a positive social space for clients, members, or people in the community that you serve:

• If you are leading a class or a club, include regular “welcome weeks” throughout the year so new members feel they can join in
• Be alert for (and put an end to) cliques forming in programs and classes. Encourage people to mix and mingle.
• Promote physical activity during workplace social events
• Add a physical activity component to existing social groups
  • Walk to your bridge night, knitting group, or book club
• Encourage an environment of mutual respect and acceptance
• Develop programs that will appeal to groups that may have a more difficult time being involved and that might be experiencing social isolation
  • A program that targets new Canadians who are mothers of young children
  • A swimming program for persons with mobility limitations

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Fostering Social Connections: The Physical Environment

Strategies

• Provide services that might enhance a person’s sense of belonging
  • Accessible buildings
  • Large-print signage
  • Interpretive services
  • Marketing materials that emphasize diversity
    (See Social Access section for additional ideas.)
• Create places and spaces that encourage socializing
• Community gardens
• Community recreation centres
• Plazas (e.g., treed areas with benches, usually with businesses near by, provide good places to meet)

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Fostering Social Connections: Policies and Regulations

Strategies

You can encourage a socially inclusive environment by developing pertinent policies and regulations:

• Demonstrate diversity in your programs
• Implement an equal opportunity hiring policy to encourage a diverse staff, volunteers, etc.
• Implement car pool programs to work or to other activities
• Provide low-cost activities to overcome the isolation barriers that low-income families often encounter

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Fostering Social Connections: Useful Links

• Bringing Young and Old Together with Physical Activity
  
• Connecting Generations Toolkit
  
• PACE Canada: Comprehensive Guide to Counseling for Healthy Active Living Designed to Assist Health Care Providers
• Strategies to Keep People Exercising after They Have Finished a Chronic Condition Exercise Program