7 The art of community building

When we think of the word community, we think of a place where the people are connected. This could be your family or friends, your street, or your neighbourhood. At an instinctual level we tend to understand that a sense of connection is what drives feelings of belonging. Yet rarely do we question how this comes to be.

There’s no secret formula that goes into fostering a sense of community. It’s not something that can be Googled or a how-to guide that can be found. Rather, community is something that manifests in many different shapes and forms. It’s an intangible thing that’s unique to each and every case, differing in every neighbourhood that Frasers is responsible for.

So, what exactly is community building?

Community Development Manager for Frasers Property communities in Western Australia, Michelle Mrzyglocki sums it up as: “Creating the most fertile environment for the community to make a really great and healthy start.” A good way of thinking of it is to visualise her as a coach, networker, and team member all in one. She’s the one who is there to shape the scaffolding to best support residents, providing the opportunity for them to connect with their neighbours and the wider community.

“Community building is about helping the community realise their collective vision of the kind of place they want to live in. We do this through bespoke strategy, programming, education events, and planning with the community and local stakeholders. We make sure the community has the skills, connections and setting to succeed in their vision. Which, all together, encourages and fast tracks a healthy and resilient neighbourhood within a broader community setting.”

Frasers Landing, WA

Where it begins

In the beginning of a community’s life cycle, the very first piece of the puzzle comes from the residents themselves. For Michelle, this means facilitating those big collective community vision conversations about what sort of place residents would like to live in. “The first step is simple. I’ll sit down with residents and have a chat. This is how we find out their hopes and dreams, their aspirations for where they live and the types of experiences they desire to have. From here, we can start thinking and planning about how we can help them achieve these ambitions.”

In the community of Frasers Landing in Western Australia, this has manifested in a host of activities and initiatives, both within the neighbourhood and including the larger suburb of Mandurah. “They do everything from regular morning teas and community barbeques to celebrating Australia Day with their annual thong-throwing competition on the green,” shares Michelle. “We’ve also done National Tree Day, an event that helped connect Frasers Landing with the wider Mandurah community, including six local Rotary Clubs, Scouts and Girl Guides.

“It’s really not about what my vision is. It must come from the people who live there. The most important part to fostering community spirit is that the drive comes from the residents. Because if they’re not excited about it and given the opportunity to participate and shape the outcome, they’re not going to be a part of it.”

Frasers Landing, WA

Where it ends

The development of a community never finishes, it’s constantly evolving. But while the work doesn’t end, the Community Development Manager’s job there does.

“We always have the vision that we’re stepping out. It’s a relatively short-term relationship. You’ve got to look at it like you’re setting them up and giving the community the tools they need to not only survive, but thrive. And doing that as quickly as we can while they have us as a resource. If I don’t do myself out of a job, I haven’t done my job.”

And with their incredible community spirit, pride in where they live, as well as the drive and ability to self-organise events, Frasers Landing is almost there. “The residents have created a really welcoming, vibrant community,” Michelle notes, “I can see they feel really supported by each other and have a great understanding of what a good neighbour is. They really have that feeling of being able to go next door to get that cup of sugar.” “At the end of the day, the most important thing is to ensure that the Frasers community we co-create, our new piece of the puzzle, fits in seamlessly with the wider neighbourhood. It’s about enabling the foundations for healthy, welcoming connections and a good culture within the community. And that never stops. It continues evolving throughout the lifespan of the community.”

Property people talk belonging

The funny thing about belonging is that you know it when you feel it, even when it remains difficult to describe. It’s a good thing the Community Development team at Frasers Property Australia have the tools it takes to transform the notion of belonging from the abstract into lived experience.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘belonging’ as being in “the right place” and of a state of feeling “happy or comfortable” in that place. Yet for most of us, describing what belonging means and the value it adds to our lives can be a challenge. We know we need it, but how do you get it? Where does it come from? And if belonging stems from being in the right place, what role does place play in whether we’re happy, connected, and fulfilled?

If those questions hurt your brain, you’re not alone. Writers, poets, and songwriters have been striving to capture the magic and essence of belonging since the birth of the alphabet, and yet, despite the passage of several millennia, that endeavour remains a work in progress.

The good news is that there is a tireless team of people at Frasers Property Australia who think, talk, and work in the belonging space all day, every day. We sat down with them to explore how communities are created and how to build up the ties that bind.

What does the idea of ‘belonging’ mean to you?

Marion Allard, Community Development Manager, QLD: I’m French, so to me, belonging is a big, big thing. I left home when I was 19, without family or even speaking the language. Belonging is really about finding that connection with a place and its people. And to be able to fit in — which can be challenging at times — but also feel accepted for being you. Clare Swanson, Community Development Manager, VIC: For me, belonging is feeling content, safe and happy. Feeling at home. It’s about people valuing what you bring to the party. That might be your presence, a good laugh, or maybe even your legendary chocolate ripple cake. It’s about knowing that you’re welcome and you are part of a whole. Sarah Melody, Community Development Manager, NSW: I think it’s more of a sense. A sensation of feeling at home. And this is never more apparent than when you feel recognised and accepted.

It’s also about having your needs met. I have a background in social sciences, which keeps bringing me back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In this theory, the more a person feels their needs are being met within a particular group or system, the more they feel they belong. The more they feel at home.

Michelle Mrzyglocki, Community Development Manager, WA: I think it’s about where you feel safe and heard. Accepted and valued, even. Belonging is about finding your tribe and feeling supported and cared about - exactly as you are; it is fundamental to our sense of happiness and wellbeing as one of our basic human needs.

Frasers Landing, WA

Tell us about a time or place where you really felt a deep sense of belonging. Sarah: I’ve lived in a few different places over the years. When I feel I belong, it’s when I feel that sense of comfort. I know where my local cafe is, the service station, and where to find all my basic needs — and that’s just the start of it. This then evolves into recognising people as you walk down the street, bumping into and saying hi to neighbours.

When you’re new to somewhere, you can feel a bit like an outsider. But all of these building blocks help to bring it together, making it feel like home.

Clare: Children, pets, and food are the great connectors. I don’t know who said that, but I know it to be true, because since moving into our house about four years ago, we have used all those tools to connect with our neighbours.

Our kids are often out in the street, playing with other kids in the neighbourhood. And obviously, when they get together and start talking, it gives an excuse for the adults to get chatting as well. The same goes with dogs. There’s always that ‘hello’ and a bit of small talk when you cross paths with someone else while walking – it’s nice.

We’ve gotten to that point now, that when we’ve had a family birthday and I’ve baked one of those bright green cakes covered in lollies that only a kid could love, it’s just second nature to pop over to our neighbours and share the love. And it’s reciprocated – we were recently invited to our neighbour’s house down the street for a slice of cake and to sing happy birthday. It’s all those little incidental conversations that have helped us build that sense of belonging.

Michelle: It also depends on what hat you’re wearing. Obviously, belonging in a family setting is very different to belonging in my choir, who get together every year at Christmas time. It’s a different level of sharing that goes on in those spaces. How much do you think the feeling of being connected and contented with others can be influenced by the place you’re in? What role does ‘place’ play? Sarah: There’s this theory of ‘bumping places’, which is based on the work of Jim Diers. The idea is that community is built on relationships and that people develop relationships through frequent contact with others. So, if you want to build a community, you need to create places for people to bump into each other. And I just think that’s just so brilliant; it’s so true. The more we create opportunities for people to bump into each other and say ‘hi’, the more they start feeling a connection. And the more they feel a connection, the more they feel like a part of their environment. So, I think place plays a vital role.

Marion: I think the influence goes both ways. So, if you’re in France, that’s the space that you’re in. And that space in France? That becomes part of you as well. Your connection with them goes both ways because they can influence each other. It’s correlated, the place and the people, and I don’t think they can be separated.

Michelle: There are two parts to this; the hardware and the software. People need places to gather, which is where the hardware comes in. Community and shared places that are well designed are, I think, wonderful contributors to how people connect. You need to make the best setting possible for people to come together.

The software is the people, the effort, and the moments that bring humans together. I view my role in the community development space as the enabler. I’m not there to make stuff happen, but to create the best possible set of circumstances to help bring that community’s vision to life. What are you proud of when it comes to creating communities with resilience and spirit?

Clare: I’d say it’s enhancing people’s wellbeing. Loneliness is at its highest, they’re calling it an epidemic. If we have an opportunity to decrease loneliness by increasing connection, then that will affect mental health in our communities moving forward. And mental health affects everything from your physical and financial health to your lifestyle and success. It has so much impact. So, to me, it’s helping people improve their wellbeing. That’s what I’d be most proud of.

Marion: I’m most proud when things come organically. They do it all by themselves. During COVID, for instance, at Brookhaven we had heaps of new mums. They had nowhere to go and were very limited in their movement. I’m not a storyteller, but I grabbed a book and said ‘hey, I’m just going to read a story in the park’.

That was my time to give back to the community. Just seeing them sitting there, coming out and congratulating each other for leaving their house — even if they were half in their PJs. At that moment, it made me really proud that I could build a safe space and help them connect. And they’ve continued that conversation, they’ve taken it on board and have made it their own.

It’s heart-warming, seeing these people continue to come together, and helping each other on the community’s Facebook groups. It’s inspiring, but it’s also more than that. It’s not even just proud. It makes you think even further about how you can continue to make a difference.

Frasers Landing, WA Belonging together There’s no easy answer to the question of how to build belonging and stronger communities at the neighbourhood level. But people like Marion, Sarah, Clare, and Michelle prove that a nurturing mindset and a deep understanding of what makes humans tick are invaluable ingredients along the way.

For more information on community development programs and initiatives at Frasers Property communities, check our website or give us a call at

13 38 38.

Frasers Landing, WA

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