Social connection

The project

The Activating Social Connection project aims to fill gaps in evidence, resources and guidance for local social connection activation. Based on research evidence, our project is committed to developing practical resources and guidance that are useable by community workers, planners and community members. The focus is to understand the complex mechanics of fostering positive social connections and to translate this into resources that help to activate change.

As a collaborative endeavour, the project is part-funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant LP200301335. It is powered by a partnership between Swinburne University of Technology, RMIT University, the Australian Red Cross, Neami National, City of Casey, City of Whittlesea, City of Wyndham, and Today Design. The project partners with local people and organisations to support their work to enhance social connectedness within their communities.

Understanding Social Connection

Social connection involves feeling satisfied with your level of close connections, social support, involvement in different groups and activities and sense of fitting into community. Social connection helps avoid loneliness and is good for mental and physical health. Communities where people are connected are more resilient and better able to prepare for, and recover from, adversity. More connected communities have less crime and are safer, than communities where people don’t know or help each other. Individual work and time are necessary for social connection, but it also benefits from having the right community infrastructure.

In the model below you’ll see the moving parts of the evidence-based Social Connection Framework that guides and underpins all of our work. This model integrates concepts from various disciplines and how people perceive social connection. It expands on the Social Connection circles, illustrating the relationship between what we give to and receive from our relationships. The diagram highlights inputs (what you give), outcomes (what you get), conditions (social and environmental contexts), and factors (individual capacity).

Building and maintaining social connections involves significant time, effort, and emotional labour. Close relationships demand more attention, while more distant ones shift towards reciprocal interaction. Factors like work demands or challenging environments can hinder these connections. Social connection bring benefits like emotional support, a sense of belonging, and positively impact health, resilience, and community cohesion over time. You can read more about the model in the evidence-based practical short guide Social Connection 101.