5 Things I’ve Learnt from Evaluating the Impact of Community Building
Hello! I'm Kendis and I've been working tirelessly behind the scenes with Friendzone to find out more about how our events affect you and your neighbourhood!
Here are 5 things I've learned from my 6-month internship researching the impact of Friendzone's community-building efforts. Read on for some insights — they might surprise you!
1) Singaporeans! Are! Kind!
I know Singaporeans sometimes get a bad rep for being cold and indifferent, but working on this research has shown me that people are actually willing to lend a hand when asked! I reached out to previous attendees of Friendzone events to collect their data via a survey, and guess what?
Although there were no inherent benefits to helping Friendzone out, many of them were willing to take time out of their day to help us make a difference in our future programmes and events. On top of that, many even went the extra mile to help us by agreeing to be interviewed about their experience with Friendzone.
To those who answered the call when we reached out to you, you know who you are. You guys are the G.
2) People Want the Kampung Spirit
A significant finding from our study was that the majority of our respondents shared a desire to revive the kampung spirit! I mean — yes, that's why they participated in a Friendzone event in the first place, but they wanted to extend this kampung spirit past that one event and spread it to the wider neighbourhood. The sentiment was consistent: an aspiration for more liveliness and community engagement.
In fact, a remarkable 70% of the respondents revealed that they have maintained ongoing connections with the neighbours they met even after the Friendzone event they attended had concluded! Not only have they stayed in touch, but many have also actively participated in various neighbourly activities, including socialising, organising events, and even visiting each other's homes.
Are you among those who long for the kampung spirit's revival in your neighbourhood? Keep reading to find out more about how the rekindling of this sense of community and camaraderie turned out, and how you can do it for yourself too!
3) A Small Step Makes A Huge Difference
Although many of our respondents and interviewees described their hopes for a more vibrant community, we also see that many of them were hesitant to initiate community-driven events with their neighbours.
Well... we get it! It may be overwhelming and daunting to host events for the larger community (like your neighbourhood Telegram chat). People fear being ignored or rejected, and that is understandably a difficult position for someone to put themselves into. However, we suggest starting small to overcome these challenges. You could begin with a small group of people (your group from the previous event, perhaps?) and see where things go from there. And when that is done and dusted, inviting more people to hang out becomes a less formidable task.
Chances are, everyone else shares the same concerns about taking initiative. But all it takes is one brave soul to initiate and inspire others. You have the ability to be that catalyst, igniting the motivation within everyone around you to take action.
4) Community Makes You Better!
Still a sceptic? Our data shows that respondents who were actively part of their community were more engaged with their neighbours and felt a greater sense of connection to them. On average, individuals who were more engaged in their neighbourhood rated almost 17% higher on their social well-being scores (equivalent to a 1-point jump on a 6-point Likert scale!) compared to those who were not as actively involved.
Furthermore, being actively involved in the community also provided improved access to opportunities for resource exchange. On average, individuals who participated in community activities scored 13% higher in terms of opportunity for accessing resources compared to those who were not involved.
Beyond the advantages of enhanced social well-being and improved resource access, taking personal initiative can bring about positive transformations within oneself. It fosters increased self-reliance and empowers individuals to seize opportunities for influencing and shaping their environment (Fay & Frese, 2014). Don’t you think the benefits of taking initiative are simply too good to pass up?
5) Community Is Yours To Create!
At the end of the day, Friendzone is here to provide people like you with the opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals. How the community continues to grow and develop is beyond Friendzone's control — it’s in your hands!
Like we say at the end of every event…
“…remember, “Community is yours to create”.”