How a sense of community belonging impacts the brain
An infographic illustrating the evidence on how belonging to a community positively impacts the brain
The relative influence of community participation on health
Does community participation influence our health? Discover the evidence from this 2014 study examining the effects of individual and social factors on health
Why community matters for health
This Gov.UK blog explains why communities are a fundamental resource for health and wellbeing. Also find links to the guide on community-centred approaches to health and wellbeing.
Volunteering and its surprising benefits
Volunteering can help you make friends, learn new skills, advance your career, and even feel happier and healthier. Learn how to find the right fit.
Social support for psychological health
Why is it important to have a strong social support network? What are the different types of social support? And what are the benefits on our health?
The importance of developing a support system
Research indicates that having a support system has many positive benefits. Find out more and get tips on how to develop your own
Why are strong personal relationships so important?
This article summarises the benefits of having strong relationships and how they contribute to a long, healthy, and happy life.
On friendliness to strangers
An abstract from The Book of Life reflecting on how we perceive strangers. Focusing on why it is important to remember strangers often resemble ourselves more than not.
Eating together
There are many psychological, social and biological benefits of eating meals with other people. Find out what these benefits are, and how to make the most of mealtimes.
Happy to chat benches – getting strangers to talk
This news article reports the simple idea of Happy to Chat benches started by Allison Owen-Jones from Cardiff. She started signposting benches to open up avenues for strangers to speak... read more →
Do kind things for others
Why being kind to others increases our own levels of happiness as well as theirs. Find out what counts as kindness and 40 acts you can do to get you... read more →