What is a Neighbourhood House?
Never heard of or participated in a neighbourhood house? Here is some information from the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC (https://anhbc.org/):
“What is a Neighbourhood House?
A NH is a warm, friendly place where people of all ages come together to meet individual and collective needs of their neighbourhood and to play an active role in their community. Utilizing local resources and talents, the NH is a neighbourhood-based, volunteer-driven and locally governed organization combining services, community building and social change activities. NHs are part of a shared common heritage and part of an international settlement movement - a movement with deep roots in working for social justice. While globally NHs may go by other names such as "Settlement Houses", "Neighbourhood Centres" or "Settlement Centres", they all exist for the same purpose - for the benefit of the community.
What a Neighbourhood House Provides for Your Neighbourhood?
• A living room for the community to meet and celebrate
• A welcoming space for people of all ages, ethnicities, cultures, classes, sexual orientations and abilities
• A place for neighbours to get involved in the community as volunteers
• A place to meet the needs of the community
• A space to build and strengthen your neighbourhood and share information and experiences with neighbours
Where Did Neighbourhood Houses Come From?
NHs can be traced back to the British Settlement House Movement of the late 19th century. The first Settlement House, Toynbee Hall, opened in East London in 1884 with a mission to connect the rich and the poor in the community.
The settlement house pioneers, recognizing that poverty resulted from root societal causes and living conditions, set out to work with residents in the neighbourhood to achieve lasting change in the lives of individuals and in community conditions.
The name ‘settlement houses’ comes from the early days at the turn of the century, when workers ‘settled’ in low-income neighbourhoods. Settling in the community allowed them, as residents, to directly connect and understand the needs of immigrants, factory workers, and the very poor. Working alongside local residents, workers pursued community building goals through integrating social change activism and services.
Settlement houses contributed to social reforms, public education and public health services. The success of Toynbee Hall led to an international movement resulting in these houses being built around the world.
Each NH has its own unique beginning. The NH movement in British Columbia dates back to the late 1800’s to early 1900's with the development of Camp Alexandra (now Alexandra Neighbour-hood House). Camp Alexandra began with the Alexandra Orphanage enabling disadvantaged children to experience life outside of the city. Social workers at that time recognized the importance of camp as a critical element in helping people understand each other, build leadership and experience life outside of the city. Camps are still an integral part of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC.”