Sense of community: Membership

Membership is the first element for a sense of community. It is said that we become members of a community when we feel:
- secure (Sri Mahligai is a gated community with security guards, so we should be secured, or do we not?)
- personally invested (not sure how but probably because we need to pay maintenance fees)
- sense of belonging, or, (do we feel belonged?)
- identification in the community (we don't have any badges...but we need car stickers to show where we live)

Next, element INFLUENCE

SENSE OF COMMUNITY

What do you understand by "sense of community"? It has been reported that it means "...a feeling members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and the group, and a shared faith that member's needs will be met through their commitment to be together (McMillan and Chavis, 1986)". Do you think you have that feeling? You know something like...you feel sad or lonely and there is someone out there in the community (Sri Mahligaians?) who you can speak to? Hmm....or perhaps you run out of sugar and ....there's.... the little shop at the club house that you can buy, of course where else, for goodness sake!

Anyway, McMillan and Chavis identified 4 elements they said compose a person's sense of community. What are they? Will be sharing with you the next time.