Real ideas for building connection: What connectors are doing for Loneliness Awareness Week

Widespread loneliness and social isolation are big challenges, but the way we can move past them is often through the smallest and most ordinary of actions. Many meaningful connections happen in everyday moments, not only through grand gestures.

At our Capital Region Connection in Action kickoff workshop on May 16, participants shared practical things they planned to do in the lead-up to and during Loneliness Awareness Week. Below are some of the fun planned actions and activity ideas that emerged in the room, ranging from quiet one-on-one outreach to bigger events. We’ve grouped them based on themes, to help you quickly find activities that best suit your time and interests. Maybe one of them will inspire you to take action, too?

Say hello, then stay a little longer

Many people noted that connection starts with noticing and acknowledging one another.

Smile, make eye contact, and say hello to people you pass. Pause for a few extra minutes to chat.
Unplug from headphones and devices while walking, so you can be more present and available for connecting.

Try giving yourself a simple challenge for Loneliness Awareness Week: say hello to one new person, and ask one small question.

Knock, welcome, and check in

Several workshop participants planned to reach out directly, especially to neighbours who might be isolated.

Introduce yourself to someone new on your street or in your building.
Knock on the door of someone who recently moved in to welcome them.
Check on an elderly neighbour, especially during extreme weather like a heat dome.
Reach out to neighbours who tend to stay inside, just to check in and share where you live and how to connect.

If knocking on doors feels a little too brazen, consider leaving a note in the mailbox with your name and contact info.

Kick-start a new, shared habit

The idea of hosting easily replicable, low-pressure gatherings came up many times in the group.

Ask someone to join you on a neighbourhood walk.
Start a weekend morning coffee drop-in for neighbours. Pick a date and place and put out an invite.
Organize casual neighbour meetups. Choose a consistent time each month, then add themes for conversation.

Many people noted that connection grows when gatherings are not just one-off events, and even just a 30-minute recurring meet-up can create momentum.

Host a gathering

Buildings and blocks are full of potential, but people in the group said it was helpful to create a reason to gather.

Organize a building social, and collect emails and phone numbers for future outreach.
Host a potluck.
Invite neighbours to a summer BBQ or garage sale.
Start an annual block party, or volunteer to help with an existing one.

First steps that can make these easier: a simple, written invitation, a date on the calendar, and another person to co-host with you.

Skillshares, swaps, and community volunteering

Some ideas that people proposed were about sharing what you know, sharing what you have, or connecting through doing.

Put out free plant-starts in front of your house.
Create a tool library or place for shared equipment.
Host a sharing event or swap-meet.
Facilitate a way that people can ask for or offer their special skills.
Host a school clothes swap.
Join community or park cleanups.
Invite someone to join you at a place where you volunteer.

These activities can be powerful because they give people something to do together, not just something to attend.

Pair connection with emergency preparedness

A strong theme that emerged in the group was that preparedness and connection go hand in hand.

Create a building group chat for neighbours to message one another and stay connected.
Start a phone tree for your street or building.
Invite the fire department to run a fire safety workshop in your building lobby, local church, or neighbourhood community centre.
Collaborate with neighbours to create a basic emergency plan for your block or building.

See Building Resilient Neighbourhood’s Simple Actions to Get Connected & Prepared guide for more low-barrier ways for you and your neighbours to support one another.

Let’s keep it going

Loneliness Awareness Week is a great spark, but the real impact comes from what continues afterward. Pick one small action that feels possible, do it once, and then do it again. If you are planning something in your building or on your block, consider inviting a neighbour to co-host. Shared leadership makes the work of connecting people more fun, and more enduring.

If you try one of these ideas, or one of your own, we would love to hear what you did!

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Capital Region Connection in Action is a campaign to strengthen neighbourly connection, personal belonging, and community resilience.

Connection in Action is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.