Healthy Places by Design builds and supports a movement to advance action that results in more socially connected and equitable communities.
In recent decades, people in the United States and around the world have experienced soaring rates of social isolation, with profound impacts on health and well-being.
The good news is that strong social connections can boost a person's lifespan by 50%.
Through community-led change, we can reshape our neighborhoods to make it easier for people to build meaningful social connections.
Webinars are held on a bi-monthly basis and provide opportunities to learn about socially connected communities. The one-hour webinars will present key and emerging content and community examples on focused topics, and explore intersections between social connection and community/societal wellbeing topics. The webinars are for community-focused change agents (i.e., government, nonprofit, community, philanthropy), members of existing and emerging local- and state-level coalitions/partnerships, and anyone else working to reduce social isolation and loneliness, and strengthen the social fabric in communities. The current schedule with topics are listed above.
Join us immediately following each webinar for a one-hour discussion group to explore ways to take action and apply newly gained strategies within communities. Participants will have the opportunity to dive deeper with webinar speakers and other attendees who are working to improve social connections in communities.
A link to join the post-webinar discussion group is provided during each live webinar. Interested participants are encouraged to put a hold on their calendars from 4-5 pm EST on each webinar date.
Register for the May 29 Session
Save the date! The webinar recording, slide deck, and Resource Guide from the March session on economic health will be released on April 10, 2024.
With support from Einhorn Collaborative, Healthy Places by Design, the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC), and Harvard University's Human Flourishing Program have launched the Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities, an interactive toolkit designed to provide local leaders and change makers with a road map for promoting meaningful social connection and belonging for community flourishing.
With this interactive toolkit, we invite you to bring together local leaders and members within your community to co-create effective, sustainable social connection action plans. Join us as we work to build connected communities across the nation!
Here are just a few of the places we're working:
Our foundational report Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation offers five recommendations for creating socially connected communities, starting with public spaces, transportation, and housing.
Action Guide for Philanthropic Leaders
Action Guide for Local Government and Community Leaders
Healthy Places by Design hosts a learning network that brings together local government, community, and philanthropic leaders to explore concepts, ideas, and community-level strategies that reduce social isolation and strengthen social ties, especially for those who are most marginalized. This learning network began in 2020 and the format and topics evolve each year. Please click “Join the Network” to learn more about the current learning network.
More Great Examples of Committed Leaders Addressing Social Isolation
From Honolulu to NYC, Intergenerational Strategies Are Tackling Social Isolation
Measuring Social Connectedness in Communities
Three Ways Public Libraries Support Socially Connected Communities
Our Shared Humanity Is the Foundation for Cohesive, Resilient, and Equitable Communities
Creating Global Strategies for Social Connections: A Conversation with Edward Garcia
Prioritize Social Connections in Transportation Systems
Supportive Housing Environments Build Community
Design Inclusive Public Spaces to Strengthen Social Connections
Socially Connected Communities: Solutions to Social Isolation
Niagara Falls is Creating Health Through Social Connection and Trust
Social Connection in the Time of COVID-19
TACKLING SOCIAL ISOLATION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, APOLITICAL, FALL 2022
AS SOCIAL ISOLATION SPREADS, WHAT CAN PHILANTHROPY DO?, INSIDE PHILANTHROPY, FALL 2022
A SENSE OF BELONGING, STANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW, SUMMER 2022
THERE'S A SOCIAL ISOLATION EPIDEMIC. BUT IT CAN BE FIXED. OP-ED IN THE HILL, JANUARY 2022