YMCA looks to counter community disconnect

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on September 20, 2024.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Residents are seeing entering the Cor Van Raay YMCA on Thursday afternoon.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A survey conducted by YMCA Canada from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3 among a representative sample of 1,501 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum has revealed that six in 10 Canadians have little or no sense of community.

Jennifer Petracek-Kolb, YMCA Lethbridge CEO, spoke about the survey results and what the Cor Van Ray YMCA is doing to help local residents connect with their community.

“We feel that is a really large number of people and we would like to see that number turn around. We would like to see people are feeling engage and feeling a sense of belonging,” said Petracek-Kolb.

She said after seeing those results, the YMCA felt the need to let residents know they can help with community building and realize their full potential and to become overall healthier individuals.

“That doesn’t necessarily just mean physically, it might not mean that at all. It could mean around how they build friendships, how they come to understand how they contribute back to a healthy community, how they might volunteer in order to meet other people or to build skills,” said Petracek-Kolb.

The survey revealed that a staggering 60 per cent of Canadians feel disconnected from their community, with 16 per cent reporting they never feel a sense of community and 44 per cent experiencing it only sometimes.

The survey also revealed that feelings of disconnection are particularly acute among Canadians under 55, with 68 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds and 64 per cent of 25 to 54-year-olds feeling a lack of belonging. These feelings were most pronounced among the unemployed, with a 76 per cent feeling disconnected from their communities.

“What we want to do is to remind people that the YMCA is a safe place where they can come, that we have programs for people of all ages, of all demographics and we are a really inexpensive way for people to come and engage in programming,” said Petracek-Kolb.

She added that they invite residents to be volunteers and would love to see them as participants in the many programs they have.

The survey also uncovered solutions among those who feel a stronger sense of connection. Key factors contributing to a feeling of belonging include spending less time on electronic devices, engaging in extracurricular activities that foster community involvement and interacting with others outside of work or school at least twice a week

“We want to remind people that even though we are known for our fitness and aquatics centres, we also have programs for so many more things, like new parents, newcomers, people who want to volunteer and get involve with the community, people who want to be engaged with youth in our community, as few examples,” said Petracek-Kolb.

She added that they also have programming for seniors in the community that are free of charge, where seniors can stop by and connect with others and regain their sense of belonging.

“We have a coffee club that anyone is invited to for no charge on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday mornings. It starts at about 8:45 and it goes till about 10:30 and anyone from the community is invited to come in and speak with other seniors in the community,” said Petracek-Kolb.

She added that they also created partnerships with other organizations like Nord-Bridge Seniors Centre and the Alzheimer’s Society to provide seniors in the community with opportunities to connect.

In addition to age and screen time, the survey reveals that income plays a significant role in Canadians’ ability to maintain social connections. Among employed Canadians and students, 64 per cent of those earning over $100,000 annually report seeing people five to seven times a week, while 43 per cent of Canadians interact with others outside of work or school only two days a week or less.

For lower-income Canadians, the struggle is even more pronounced. Only 28 per cent of those earning below $50,000 annually experience social interactions five to seven times per week compared to 42 per cent of higher earners.

“The YMCA’s affordable programs, coupled with financial assistance, provide a crucial bridge for those facing economic barriers, ensuring everyone can engage with their community, regardless of their financial situation,” said Petracek-Kolb.