In 2015 Community Foundations of Canada released Belonging: Exploring Connections to the Community – a national Vital Signs report that sparked an ongoing exploration and focus on belonging in Canada. What is belonging? What influences it? Why is it important? Vital Signs defines belonging simply as being a part of a collective we. It's a two-way street: It's about communities sending signals of acceptance and inclusion, and about individuals cultivating their own connections to community. A sense of belonging is important to build safe, vibrant communities, and it brings purpose to our lives. As Vital Signs continues continues their exploration this year, they're focusing on one side of Belonging Street and are using the lens of social participation to better understand how we as individuals cultivate our connections to community.
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