A Positive Community in Coliving...What Is It?
"Community" is the big trend of the moment. But then... Are we friends when we're part of a community? Do we see each other in real life? What really binds us together? At La Casa, we've created our own definition of community, and this is where it happens!
What Is a Positive Community in Coliving?
"Community" is the current big trend. Fan communities, professional communities, follower communities, product or service user communities... From Instagram to YouTube, from big brands to local artisans, from schools to the professional world, everyone is emphasizing their desire to create connections and develop their community. But then... Are we friends when we're part of a community? Do we see each other in real life? What really binds us together? At La Casa, we've crafted our own definition of community. We are a positive community, and that's our strength, sparking the creation of projects.
1 - What Is a Positive Community in Coliving?
At La Casa, we believe that we're happier when we're together. We support each other, form friendships, help each other grow, and maintain kindness and respect for one another. We're also always eager to meet new people. All of this makes us a positive community, focused on creating real friendships. Goodbye to virtual relationships; we take the time to get to know each other in real life ;) Consequently, by fostering positive connections among roommates, we become happier! This is our definition of community, and we do everything to ensure ours thrives.
If you've seen "Friends," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang Theory," or "Totally Spies," and have in mind communities that support each other, help each other grow, and make each other happy while being friendly and kind, then bingo, that's exactly what we're aiming for too. We currently have 265 roommates across 22 Casas, and a large turnout at our last party on April 25th... Because it's always cool to see each other "in real life"!
2 - A Community of Motivated Roommates
Our vision of a positive community also encompasses a place of encouragement, where roommates can launch initiatives... and see them succeed ;) Some of our roommates have started businesses together, and some have even started families! La Casa is a transitional space where we find ourselves, are surrounded by support, and have the time to grow, experiment, and contemplate our next steps. For instance, Nelly, Youna, and Aude, three roommates from our Casas, suggested a short film screening night "Common Points" by the organization MakeSense. This event brought together 20 roommates from 9 different Casas, offering a platform to share our views on the La Casa community, its benefits, and its potential. We love big InterCasa events where we dance, sing, and party (fun!), but small gatherings provide a unique opportunity to connect differently. It fosters a different dynamic that helps create new types of connections both among the Casas and between roommates and staff.
And as Youna, a resident of La Casa Verte in Créteil for two years, told us: "It's a moment of discussion in small groups within an ever-growing community. It feels good to realize that we are all here because we share the same desire for community, and we can exchange with each other about this and everything else!" Our favorite short film of the evening? "Lazare," which features roommates including young professionals and former homeless individuals. It’s a community that has developed a way of living and housing that puts the community first. Discovering others, learning about communal living, embracing letting go, kindness, and curiosity... That's everything we encourage at La Casa. After watching the films, the roommates were able to discuss in small groups various themes proposed by the MakeSense project, resonating with their communal life at La Casa. The four themes were: "Ceremony," "Connections," "Consultation," and "Vision." All ideas and opinions were then displayed in the garden for everyone to see the different topics discussed. The evening ended under the light of the garlands in the beautiful garden of La Casa office.
From the staff side, we're here to provide logistical support for these initiatives and to assist the communities in executing them. We leverage our expertise in community experiences to serve the roommates, fostering beautiful moments of connection. Interested in joining our positive community? We're waiting for you!
