Cohousing as a form of social innovation: Challenges in a new geopolitical situation in Poland

Abstract

This article addresses the topic of cohousing, understood as a form of housing that promotes a lifestyle that places greater emphasis on social cohesion and creates conditions to ensure that all residents have the opportunity to meet basic social needs. In this view, cohousing coincides with the concept of social innovation. The aim of the article is to present the idea of cohousing as an example of social innovation and an attempt to determine its significance in the process of integration of Ukrainian citizens in Poland after February 24, 2022. The paper is theoretical in nature, and the method of analyzing foundational data was applied, which included publications, reports and research on the problem addressed. In the first part, the issue of social innovation was presented, the idea of cohousing was presented and its features as a form of social innovation were pointed out. The second part highlighted the importance of cohousing in the integration process of Ukrainian citizens in Poland after February 24, 2022. The results of the research showed that within the framework of the available solutions for the current situation, it is worth reaching for new forms of cohousing that enable active inclusion of people with refugee experience in decision-making processes and foster closer neighbourly contacts, neighbourly control, a sense of security and opportunities for social support.