Happy Thursday, here's the PlanH May eNews!

This month, we're excited to announce the release of two grants we've designed for local governments: the Community Wellness Strategies grant and Creating Healthy Places grant. In celebration of our sold-out Social Connectedness Webinar earlier this month, we've also gathered together a collection of resources and ideas around social connectedness, including a blog post examining the impact of rural poverty on social connectedness. We've even included a round-up of successful social connectedness projects outside BC to inspire you with examples of how you can foster connection in your own community.

Two new grant opportunities available for local governments

Deadline: July 15, 2018

Are you a local government looking to collaborate with health authorities and other partners to create healthy places in your community? Are you eager to improve community wellness through policy? Applications are now open for two new grants, offered through the PlanH Healthy Communities Fund.

Learn more about the grant opportunities and access many other great resources on our PlanH website.

Social Connectedness webinar video now available

Are you interested in the links between social connectedness and community health? The archived recording of our Social Connectedness Webinar is now available.

Featuring experts from Vancouver Coastal Health, the Vancouver Foundation, and BC Healthy Communities, the webinar explores the impact of social connectedness on community health and well-being. Access the recording.

Communities bridging the gap on disconnectedness

Seven communities—Tofino, Vancouver, Surrey, Nanaimo, Dease River First Nation, and Okanagan Indian Band—were our successful 2017 Cultivating Connections grant applicants, whose projects kicked off in August 2017. Check out the diverse set of projects that these BC communities developed to help foster stronger, more resilient connections among their residents. Interested in improving health and well-being in your community? New PlanH grant opportunities are now available on our website.

Social connectedness & rural places: Who's being left out?

At first glance, rural communities appear to have nothing to worry about when it comes to connection—they generally report higher levels of many indicators related to social connectedness than urban communities. However, these statistics mask a hidden challenge in social connectedness specific to rural communities: rural poverty.

One of our BC Healthy Communities team members, Shannon Clarke, MPH, discusses the unique challenges presented by rural poverty. Learn more about how you can ensure that your community isn’t unintentionally leaving folks out of opportunities to connect.

Improving social connectedness: A world of different initiatives

Inspired to build social connectedness in your own community, but not sure where to start? Communities across the globe have come up with a variety of innovative approaches to fostering connection. We've put together a wide range of colourful initiatives from places all over the world that will get you thinking creatively about how to cultivate social connectedness in your own backyard. Read all about worldwide social connectedness initiatives.

LEARN

PlanH’s Social Connectedness Guide has been updated for 2018 with fresh resources and examples. This guide is essential reading for local community leaders and staff looking for concrete ways to create connection in their communities.

CONNECT

The Loneliness Project highlights stories from people around the world who have submitted their experiences with loneliness. It is the first chapter of a digital archive space designed to cultivate compassion—for others, but especially for ourselves.

INNOVATE

Two community organizations in Nanaimo, BC have banded together to create a project that tackles social isolation and malnutrition in seniors through participation in farming. Learn about their Five Acre Farm.