Blog: Strengthening Connections Through Social Infrastructure
Written by: Steven Ayer, Common Good Strategies
Date: May 15, 2024
Over the past few months, you may have heard that Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) has adjusted its strategic focus on a critical aspect of community life that often goes unnoticed yet is central to our wellbeing: social infrastructure.
What is Social Infrastructure?
You can learn more by visiting a page on their website, that will be updated regularly with information and examples.
While physical infrastructure — with its housing, parks, roads, and utility systems — is the foundation of economic development, social infrastructure is the interwoven fabric of organizations, spaces, and experiences that foster connections among people. It is the underpinning of trust, civic participation, and the collective sense of belonging that energizes sustainable, widespread community development.
The growing need for social infrastructure
The fabric of our Canadian social infrastructure is showing signs of wear. Nationally, we've seen a troubling trend where individuals report fewer close friends, are less likely to know their neighbours, and a stark decline in overall wellbeing.
For instance, those reporting six or more close friends have dwindled from 36% to 22% from 2013 to 2022, while those who say they know many of their neighbours have decreased by ten percentage points over the same period, according to data from Statistics Canada and Community Foundations of Canada (CFC). Moreover, there's been an alarming rise in the number of Canadians reporting fair or poor mental health — surging from 7% in 2013 to 26% in 2022, according to the same sources.
Participation in various types of clubs, membership, and associations has seen a significant drop over the years, according to the same data by CFC.
Some examples comparing 2013 to 2022:
In 2013, 63% of Canadians participated in a group, which fell to 41% in 2022,
Participation or membership in sports or recreational organizations has decreased from 31% to 12%,
Participation or membership with cultural, educational, or hobby organizations decreased from 20% to 8%.
These spaces are where people forge friendships, encounter diverse perspectives, and find purpose outside the confines of their homes.
In the Canadian Social Connection Survey, clubs or organizations was the fourth most common place where people met close friends. Not quite as common as school, work or through other friends, but perhaps the easiest thing for people to change in their own lives among those.
However, fewer and fewer people are involved in these clubs, and at the same time, we see life satisfaction and mental health dropping sharply.
These declines in social connections and life satisfaction are not just the byproducts of the pandemic; we see evidence that declining mental health and social connections preceded COVID-19. And the pandemic had dramatic additional negative effects that we haven't yet recovered from.
The Digital Shift and Its Consequences
More than one in four young Canadians are now spending six or more hours a day on personal screen time in 2024, according to Mental Health Research Canada.
And when they spend that much time online, many spend next to no time in community.
The same research shows that those young people who are using screens six or more hours a day for personal use are three times more likely than the national average to report high anxiety (28% versus 11%) and at least twice as likely to report high self-rated depression (22% vs 11%) or suicide ideation (34% in the last year versus 14%).
On the other hand, research from the Toronto Foundation shows the opposite trend among those most active in their community. Comparing those who most frequently participated in and attended community events and activities versus those who participated the least, people who participated the most were almost half as likely to report fair or poor mental health.
Those who participated in community activities most were twice as likely to report having many close friends, and they were also much more likely to know their neighbours, donate, volunteer, report high life satisfaction, and feel connected to their communities (versus those who participated the least).
We must interpret each of these results around participation and screen time cautiously. It's hard to say what comes first: People who are depressed are probably more likely to spend time on their screens because of their mental health challenges, which may make it harder to improve depression. Similarly, people who are already connected are more likely to attend community events.
But it's also hard not to take the evidence as one showing that social infrastructure must be a critical part of our efforts to strengthen our communities. Building social infrastructure in our communities is also a critical strategy to counter some of the mental health challenges that have characterized the last decade and accelerated during the pandemic.
Waterloo Region's social infrastructure assets
Waterloo Region has an array of amazing social infrastructure that we can build upon.
Our events are already world-class, from Oktoberfest to Multicultural festivals and the jazz festival, but the pandemic has caused many struggles, and we need investments so they can continue to bring us together. Our arts and culture organizations provide meaning, but their struggles during the pandemic have been immense. We have countless nonprofits and charities that need support and volunteers to provide programs.
In many cases, our physical infrastructure supports social infrastructure.
Community centres and libraries span the city, but they only meet their potential when they are filled with well-designed programming and opportunities to connect for all ages.
Our phenomenal trail networks can become critical social infrastructure when supported by biking clubs, walking groups, and conservation meetups. Parks become lively spots for interaction when community groups use them to host events, or when people get together to play a game of baseball or cricket, or sit side by side on blankets and lawn chairs to watch free outdoor films. Organized, yet informal meetups create social connections that introduce neighbours and communities.
We need resources and investments that help turn our physical infrastructure into the social infrastructure that builds connections and communities. Things like the Gathering Spaces Map that was created by the City of Waterloo, help people know where they can come together. Or activities, like Neighbours Day, a city-wide porch party held annually in the City of Kitchener. There are also festivals and events bringing people together in public spaces, like the Multicultural Festival of Elmira and the 200th Anniversary Celebration in Ayr. There is lots going on – in every corner of our region that, with support, can build bridges between neighbours and communities.
Moving Forward
The challenges we face are significant, yet there are pathways to improvement. With thoughtful programming, engagement, and investment in our social infrastructure, we can rebuild the ties that bind our community together, enhancing the collective wellbeing of people across the region. Let's work towards a future where our social infrastructure is as robust as the physical framework that supports our cities and towns.
Between June 7 and 9, 2024, WRCF is leading On the Table. They’re inviting people to bring together friends, colleagues, neighbours, or people in the community over some food to talk about what matters most to them. Learn more on their website about how you can host or participate in a discussion and help them determine how to build up our social infrastructure.
