5 Steps to a Connected Neighbourhood: the Details

It can sometimes be awkward to initiate conversations with people you don’t know and ask them to be part of a neighbourhood support group.

Good news! In our years of supporting everyday citizens in connecting with their neighbours, we’ve witnessed a common set of steps many people find the the easiest and most effective.

Here are all the details and resources you need to make your neighbourhood a connected, belonging and caring neighbourhood:

Step 1: Find a Buddy

It’s more fun and easier to do things with a buddy. Who could you ask to help you bring your neighbourhood together?

You will share the planning and the little bit of work that is involved. But before you ask your buddy, familiarize yourself with the Good Neighbour App by downloading it.

Watch the Good Neighbour App tutorial video so you can practice with a friend. Connect and send each other messages!

Step 2: Create a Gathering

Bring people together with a simple gathering. One surefire way is by planning the gathering around food. Food always brings people together! Here are our tips:

  • Make it potluck, whether it is snacks, BBQ or meal, there is no reason you should bear all the expense and work. And potlucking is a great way to get people to bond.
  • Pick a Venue. Although it can be your place, it can also be a  public space like a  park, community hall, apartment hallway or common room. They can make great venues.
  • Make some posters. We have already done this for you so please feel free to download and use these posters

Step 3: Hold a Discussion

During the gathering make it part social, and part discussion. Here’s a simple agenda you can use:

  • The first 20 minutes: let people introduce themselves. Go around the space clockwise, starting with yourself.
  • Next 30 minutes are about an open discussion. Some possible questions you can ask include:
    • Why is our neighbourhood important to us?
    • How can we be more supportive of each other?
    • Is there something we would like to have in our neighbourhood?
  • Wrap up discussion, thank people  and summarize.

Step 4: Invite Everyone to Download the Good Neighbour App

Once you have had the discussion, sum up with the conclusion that as neighbours, it is clear you all want to be more connected. Refer back to comments during the discussion to help prove how the Good Neighbour App helps us actually do what happy communities do: talk with each other.

Emphasize that it has no ads, no algorithms, and puts your neighbours  in 100% control. These are things that people naturally worry about when it comes to being asked to try new apps.

Ask people If they would download the Good Neighbour App.

Demonstrate how to download the app on Google Play or App Store.

Show people how to sign up on the App

Step 5: Connect with Neighbours, and Follow Up

Once people have downloaded the Good Neighbour App, ask them to connect with each other.

Demonstrate to people how to make a connection and make connecting fun. One idea is to make a game of it. Who has the most connections? Who got all the connections fastest? This is also an opportunity for people to meet and talk to each other, now more familiar with each other because of the discussion earlier.

If possible, don’t end your event now. Continue the positive energy with more socializing and eating all the great food!

Remember to send your new connections a message the next day. They will appreciate you getting the conversation started. Something like “It was great to see you at X event yesterday. Thank you for being my neighbour.” They will appreciate you getting the ball rolling on the Good Neighbour App.