Findings from our Residential Survey: “Community as the Intervention” in action 

Bastion conducts community-wide residential surveys to assess our initiatives and their outcomes. We evaluate how effectively our programs, resources, and services help veterans successfully integrate into our community. Our most recent survey used indicators like Positivity, Enrichment, and Loneliness, among others, to better understand the experiences of our veterans here at Bastion.

Thanks to support from Biostatistician student Lusekero Mwangwewo, who is pursuing her masters’ in public health, we found correlations between these different indicators that demonstrate how Bastion’s community reintegration approach helps veterans find connection, purpose, and belonging in their post-military lives.

Veteran Enrichment scores were found to be a big predictor of their Positivity scores. Veterans who reported engaging in more enriching activities tended to also report a more positive attitude towards life. At Bastion, these activities range from staff-facilitated programs and workshops to resident-led social events and community meals. We also bring in nonprofit partners to expand the  kinds of activities we can offer and the kinds of knowledge and expertise we can share with our veterans.

Positivity scores showed a negative correlation with Loneliness, which means that veterans with higher levels of Positivity reported lower levels of Loneliness and vice versa. This relationship highlights the importance of combating loneliness to improve overall wellbeing and mental health. Bastion harnesses the power of our intentional community to prevent isolation and boost connection, which in turn promotes higher Positivity outcomes and a better outlook on life.

“The results of our most recent residential survey are significant because they are congruent with similar findings from previous years, further supporting that our intentional community model is effective,” Clinical Director Rachel Schwenk, LOTR reported.

Furthermore, we discovered that loneliness continues to decrease the longer a resident lives in the Bastion Community.” 

According to a recent study from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, more than 1 in 5 American adults reported feeling lonely on a regular basis. Interestingly, this study found that people who reported loneliness weren’t always socially isolated. Many reported feeling deeply lonely while surrounded by other people.

“The lack of quality relationships is just as big a problem as the lack of quantity,” the authors of the report noted. 

Here at Bastion, we aim to help community members cultivate meaningful, lasting relationships. The power of these relationships is embodied by our mantra, “Community as the intervention.” Relationships between veterans here at Bastion can transform people’s lives and are essential to our veterans’ successful community reintegration. 

The results of our resident survey underscore the importance of bringing Bastion’s intentional community model of support to veterans outside of our residential community. Through enrichment activities, engaging programming, and connection with other veterans, any veteran can experience the life-changing impacts of Bastion’s supportive community.

In our most recent residential survey, veterans reported experiencing positive growth at Bastion in many ways: