Tough, Suzanne C.Walsh, Jessica-Lynn Ann2020-04-162020-04-162020-04-14Walsh, J.-L. A. (2020). Connections First: Community perceptions of social connections (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111799Introduction: Community-based social connections and natural supports promote well-being in children and youth, and their families. Natural supports are informal reciprocal connections that consist of close relationships with friends and family, and broader associations, including neighbours, organizations and local businesses. Similarly to social connections, natural supports aim to create supportive and healthy environments with an emphasis on locality. This study investigated how urban communities are working to promote natural supports to address vulnerability. Methods: Using classical grounded theory, community champions were interviewed regarding their knowledge and perceptions of natural supports strategies, and key facilitators and barriers. Categories, themes and sub-themes were identified, and a theory emerged. Results: The overarching theory that emerged to advance natural supports strategies in urban community settings was: Building a community’s ability to shift from disconnected to naturally supportive to empower residents and families: the need for action to accelerate connection and asset development. Community connectors and assets facilitate natural supports strategies and social connections within urban community settings. Limited access to space, and difficulties recruiting and retaining volunteers were identified barriers. Conclusion: The findings of this study enable knowledge users, such as planners and policy-makers, to optimally invest and develop community natural supports strategies to enhance social connections and remediate vulnerability for children and youth, and their families. Future directions of this study include implementation and evaluation of natural supports strategies within communities.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Individual and Family StudiesSociology--Theory and MethodsUrban and Regional PlanningPublic HealthPsychology--Socialmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/37678