Inclusive Neighbourhoods in Action

Facebook

Neighbours Helping Neighbours (SA): provides essential supplies for the elderly only

Love your Neighbour South Australia: connecting neighbours with requests and offers of help

Blind Citizens Australia: virtual happy hours and movement to music sessions open to anyone living with vision issues

Kindness Pandemic (Adelaide): Facebook group (Adelaide-based) initiative of Celebrate Ageing for people to share stories of kindness.

The Kindness Pandemic is a Facebook group that was created during COVID-19 to share stories of kindness from the community. We like this group because it reminds people that there is good in the world despite current circumstances and raises awareness of groups that may be experiencing hardship during COVID-19. It works in SA because it highlights groups that may be marginalised due to the pandemic, and shows people that no act of kindness is too small. There are also Kindness Pandemic Facebook pages for specific regions (such as Kangaroo Island) so that people can connect into projects and stories from their local area.

Kindness Pandemic (Kangaroo Island): Facebook group (Kangaroo Island-based) to share stories of kindness

Uniity: Uniity is designed to enrich people lives through the power of friendship across generations. Join Uniity and people of all ages, to meet new friends, have fun and be supported. Choose from coffee chats, cooking sessions, walking groups, crafts and more! 

Websites

Imagine More Peer Support Groups: Various peer support groups to stay connected and discuss topics such as inclusive education, employment and self-managing your NDIS plan

Friendline: For anyone who wants to have a casual chat.  All conversations are anonymous and you can chat about anything you want with a volunteer

5049 Costal Community: A dedicated group of locals in the 5049 community, representing members of the 5049 Coastal Community Association Inc.

Gum Tree Local Legends: support network for people to offer or find help

One Good Street: One Good Street helps to link older residents with activities in their local communities. We like One Good Street because it promotes a sense of connection between residents and their older neighbours. This would work in SA by encouraging people to be involved in activities in their local suburb and prevent social isolation.

Home | Uniity: Uniity provides a wonderful gift; a gift that is sadly becoming a rare thing in our society: the gift of really listening to someone.

Tools to Stay Connected

Co-VidSpeak: Free web-based conferencing tool for people who are unable to speak but wanting to maintain social connections while physically distancing

Think Tanks and Sharing Platforms:

NextDoor- Neighbourhood linking platform

Community Lovers Guide- Collection of innovative global projects

Citizen Network- International network to strengthen equal citizenship

Cooperatives: 

Neighbour Day- Relationships Australia Initiative

Welcoming Cities- National network and initiative of Welcoming Australia

Village in the City- International network to support micro-villages or neighbourhoods to take shape

Abundant Community- Information and video conference hosting platform to support neighbourhood democracy 

Helpful Reads/Inspiring Podcasts:

Every Day is Neighbour Day Resources- Tips to host a neighbourhood event or be ‘neighbourly’ by Relationship Australia 

Community Connector Kit- Information kit by Street By Street on starting your own neighbourhood circle 

Village Builder Handbook- by the Village in the City

The Art of Belonging- Belonging Matters Podcast with Hugh Mackay

Leading the Inclusive City- Place based innovation for a bounded city by Robin Hambleton 

Loneliness, Isolation and Human Touch- Report on Loneliness and COVID-19 impacts by the AdCouncil 

A Man Called Ove – By Frederik Backman (fiction). A book on age, loneliness and the power of neighbours to overcome it.

Other International/National Initiatives

Participatory Cities Project- Every One, Every Day Initiative: Network of Projects and Businesses across Barking and Dagenham, UK. 

Living Smart Australia- Courses that provide participants with the skills to take action to improve quality of life and reduce their environmental impact 

Netherton and Springfield Communities- A tale of two UK communities that came together through COVID-19 challenges 

The Chatty Cafe Scheme- Encourages and creates opportunities for people to interact through conversation in a Café setting