A Pilot Project Exploring Belonging Through Storytelling
Social connectedness and belonging are critical components in making Jefferson County a connected thriving community where health and opportunity are possible for all. While considering the positive health impacts of social connection, the Healthy Jeffco Alliance’s Culture of Connection Action Team implemented a storytelling project to learn how county residents find connection and assess if distributing stories of belonging can help Jeffco residents feel more connected. As the project came to a close, the team found that the process of listening to and sharing stories helped them learn about themselves, relate to others and connect within shared human experiences regardless of one’s held identity.
Stories of Connection & Belonging
Instructions for viewing videos in different languages: Visit our YouTube Channel to explore the stories and to view them with subtitles in different languages. To activate the subtitles in a different language, first select the closed captions button . Next, click the settings button , then subtitles, auto-translate, and lastly select the language you would like to use for the subtitles. Check out this article from YouTube for further instructions.
Opportunities for community connection
Throughout this pilot project, those who participated identified various opportunities for connection within their communities. Examples of those opportunities are listed below.
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Joining a running club
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Working with a community garden
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Planning neighborhood gatherings
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Participating in group sports
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Visiting a place of worship
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Gathering together with family or friends
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Taking a class and learning with others
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Exploring a neighborhood farmers' market