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Lainey Martin

Lainey was born and currently lives on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Peoples. She is a research assistant with the SFU Research Team, working to understand social connection and isolation as a part of the Hey Neighbour Collective.

In the fall of 2020, she had the opportunity to work with one of HNC’s practice partners, Brightside Community Homes, as a Community Development Facilitator. There she had the opportunity to research and develop plans to address food insecurity and social connection among residents. Previously, she developed her research skills in various positions at SFU, including at the Student Engagement Centre and through the co-op program.

She is a 4th year undergraduate student studying Global Environmental Systems, Indigenous Studies, and Urban Studies. Her interests lie at the intersection of her studies, as she wants to understand how to create more sustainable and equitable cities. She is looking forward to graduating in the spring of 2022 and eventually pursuing these interests at a graduate level.

In her spare time, she enjoys keeping up with and contributing to various social justice causes. When it comes time to slow down, she enjoys gardening, baking bread from scratch, and bird watching.

Lainey Martin
Lainey Martin smiles in front of a leafy background
Getting to know Lainey Martin

Unlocking social connections in multi-unit housing: Insights from our 2021-2022 resident surveys

ByMeg HoldenFeb 6, 20246 min read
An illustration in hues of pink, brown, yellow and tan, depicting a city square with buildings, cars, people on bikes, and neighbours helping each other.
Fndings from the recently completed Hey Neighbour Collective (HNC) report ‘How sociable is life in multi-unit housing?’. This report provides aggregated and comparative results of two annual resident surveys (2021 & 2022) across the properties of HNC members Brightside Community Homes Foundation  and Catalyst Community Developments Society.

Webinar recap: Social Sustainability in Multi-Unit Housing 

ByTeamMar 7, 20233 min read
Headshots of speakers, and slide deck cover images of the presenters, from the CMHC webinar on March 1.
On March 1st, Hey Neighbour Collective (HNC) and CMHC co-hosted a webinar entitled ‘Social Sustainability in Multi-Unit Housing.’ A diverse audience, including local and federal government employees, housing providers and…

Loneliness at home: reviewing the Psychology of Loneliness report from the UK Campaign to End Loneliness

ByLainey MartinOct 25, 20228 min read
A woman presses her right hand up to a window with rain droplets running down it while across from her is an apartment building with white windowpanes.
HNC’s Lainey Martin and Robyn Lee review the ‘Psychology of Loneliness’ report from the Campaign to End Loneliness, originally produced for the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative.

Enhancing social connections through creative communication

ByLainey MartinJun 2, 20224 min read
A cartoon depiction of three people using cameras to capture moments.
Former HNC research assistant Lainey Martin discusses the Photovoice project and how visual media has the power to enhance both social connectivity and research insights.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words: A photovoice exploration into social connections at home

ByLainey MartinDec 11, 20212 min read
A report cover floats overtop of a woman sitting at a community comedy desk: A picture is worth 1000 words.
The SFU Research team recently completed “A Picture is Worth 1000 Words”, a Photovoice project which explores people’s experiences of social connection and isolation. 

Bursting social bubbles after COVID-19 will make cities happier and healthier again

ByMeg HoldenApr 1, 20212 min read
An aerial view of a field with white circles painted in a grid pattern. Some circles have small groups of people sitting in them. Circles are roughly 6 feet apart.
Led by Dr. Meg Holden, the SFU Research Team has published an article on The Conversation Canada about the importance of prioritizing social connections during the COVID-19 recovery.