As communities get larger and residents become more isolated from one another, fostering community pride can be a challenge. Even small communities struggle to get residents to take pride in their community. This, of course, does not mean that residents dislike where they live. But, they may not feel as invested in the community as you would like.
If you are noticing a lack of engagement among your residents, here are a few ways to get everyone to take pride in their community.
Why do you need community pride in your community?
First, let’s discuss community pride and its importance. The more pride your residents have in their community, the more engaged and happy they will be. That means more residents who want to actively participate in making their community a better place and keeping it that way.
In general, St. Louis metropolitan area communities that can foster a lot of community pride have more active residents. This ensures more volunteering, which can keep your community looking its best. Residents with pride in their community will also work to keep their own properties nice and maintained. This keeps or even raises the value of your community and can attract new people. All of this is important for the continued success and financial stability of the community.
Ways to get your residents to take pride in their community
Clearly, resident pride is crucial. Yet, you may not know how to foster it in your residents. Here are a few tips to get you started.
1) Make sure to encourage and support your volunteers.
Communities are run by volunteers. These people are already engaged and active in the community. But that does not mean they should be ignored. You should show appreciation to your volunteers and support them in any way possible. This will help you retain the volunteers you already have and encourage more residents to participate.
Support your volunteers by giving them the time and resources they need to get the job done. Additionally, you can encourage volunteering by planning events and activities on many different days and times. The greater flexibility people have to fit volunteering into their schedule, the more likely they are to do it.
2) Plan resident activities.
People will have more community spirit if there are opportunities for them to come together. The last few years have been especially hard for community spirit as many people have chosen to quarantine themselves in their homes.
However, the more separated your residents, the less community spirit they will have. That is why planning community-wide activities is so important. Depending on the season, you could plan a block party or other get-together, a trash drive, or an activity for children.
3) Use technology.
Some residents may not be able to participate in many in-person activities or volunteering opportunities. You should have options for these people as well. That is where technology comes in. Leverage the many technological options at your disposal to plan online events or digital community meetings.
For more tips on how to get your residents to take pride in your community, contact Community Property Management (CPM). We are your St. Louis Metropolitan area source for the best and more proactive community management.