Building Resilient Neighbourhoods: Strengthening Community Connections Through Connect & Prepare

What you can expect:

Strong neighbour-to-neighbour relationships are a critical foundation for community resilience, emergency preparedness, and resident well-being. In this webinar, Building Resilient Neighbourhoods (BRN) will introduce the Connect & Prepare program and share how nonprofit housing providers can build stronger, more connected communities while enhancing preparedness for emergencies and climate-related events.

Participants will learn about the benefits of participating in BRN initiatives, practical approaches for engaging residents, and opportunities to partner with BRN and local community-based organizations to bring this work into their housing communities. The session will also highlight implementation considerations, including program costs, staffing and resource requirements, available funding opportunities, and other supports that can help organizations get started. Real-world examples from nonprofit housing providers will showcase how neighbour-to-neighbour approaches can strengthen social connections, increase preparedness, and support resident resilience.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the goals and benefits of the Building Resilient Neighbourhoods and Connect & Prepare programs.
• Identify opportunities to partner with BRN   and local community-based organizations to deliver resilience and preparedness initiatives in housing communities.
• Explore practical strategies for engaging residents in neighbour-to-neighbour preparedness and community-building activities.
• Understand the resources, costs, and organizational commitments required to implement the program.
• Learn about funding opportunities and other supports available to help housing providers participate.
• Gain insights from housing providers and residents who have experience delivering and participating in the program.

Panelists Include:

Stacy Barter, Executive Director, Building Resilient Neighbourhoods

Stacy Barter (she/her) is the Executive Director of Building Resilient Neighbourhoods, a non-profit organization focused on building community resilience through strengthening neighbourly connections, and the Co-Director of Hey Neighbour Collective, a multi-partner collective focused on building social connectedness and resilience in multi-unit housing across BC.  In addition to these roles, she supports a broad range of social innovation initiatives as a co-founder and consultant with SHIFT Collaborative. Stacy is a serial community builder who has spent over 25 years as a community developer and engagement specialist. She grew up in BC with strong roots in the Kootenays, and now lives  as a settler on the traditional unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) peoples, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt (Xwsepsum) Nations.

Dalia Al Houseini, Senior Facilitator and Coach, Building Resilient Neighbourhoods

Dalia Al Houseini (she/her) is a community planner, researcher, and storyteller based in New Westminster, BC, on the unceded and unsurrendered lands of the Qayqayt First Nation, as well as all Coast Salish peoples. A graduate of UBC’s Indigenous Community Planning program, her work focuses on creating inclusive, culturally grounded spaces that foster connection, healing, and social cohesion across diverse communities. Her work engages the relationships between Indigenous, immigrant, and settler communities, with a focus on how planning processes and public spaces can support more just and meaningful forms of coexistence. She has contributed to municipal research, community engagement, and facilitation on issues such as affordable housing, childcare, and inclusive public space design.

Corinne Saad, Executive Director, Gorge View Society

Corinne Saad brings diverse experience to her current role as Executive Director of the Gorge View Society. She started her career as a journalist in the Middle East and then moved to Canada to work in broadcasting. A passion for social justice took Corinne to the non-profit sector. Recognizing that secure, affordable housing is a fundamental human right, Corinne was delighted to take on the challenge of increasing affordable homes at Chown Place in Victoria for seniors and families. Steering a Master Plan approval process, and subsequent build-out, has given Corinne a quick immersion in the complexities of non-profit development.

Ruth Suarez, Seniors & Food Programmer/Family Support Worker, Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House

Ruth Suarez is a Seniors and Food Programmer/Family Support Worker at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, a Professional Counsellor, and a passionate community advocate dedicated to building connection, belonging, and capacity within communities. With a background in trauma-informed counselling, community capacity building, and grassroots program development, Ruth is committed to creating welcoming spaces where people feel heard, valued, connected, and empowered to support one another.

Through her work at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, Ruth has developed and coordinated initiatives that strengthen food security, social connection, accessibility, and community participation. She is especially passionate about the power of human connection and neighbour-to-neighbour relationships, believing that strong and thriving communities are built when people know, care for, and look out for one another.Ruth holds a Diploma in Professional Counselling from Vancouver College of Counsellor Training and a Certificate in Community Capacity Building from Simon Fraser University. She brings together professional experience, lived experience, and a deep commitment to community in everything she does.Originally from Mexico, Ruth moved to Canada 25 years ago and is the proud mother of two. Her work is guided by a belief in the capacity, wisdom, and potential that already exist within communities, and in the power of people coming together to create meaningful change.