Frequently Asked Questions

This is where you will find most answers. If there should still be any questions left, don’t hesitate to contact us.

The GenWell Project has never been anti-technology, but has instead encouraged people to find the balance with technology, because we understand the many wonderful things that technology provides for society when used properly. In the global pandemic, technology provided us with a beautiful opportunity to supplement the relationships that we have or that we wanted to have, until we can get back to connecting face to face again.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE GENWELL PROJECT?

The GenWell Project, the Global Human Connection Movement, is a registered Canadian NFP that is on a mission to make the world a happier and healthier place by educating people about the importance of face-to-face social connection and inspiring them to take action. We share information, research, tips and motivation to help people create healthy connection habits starting today, and we activate around two GenWell Weekends each year (spring and fall) when we want to be the catalyst that gets people to reach out and get connected face-to-face with family and friends, neighbours, colleagues and classmates. The research is quite clear that spending time with others face-to-face and the relationships that result, are the single largest indicator of happiness in our lives, reduce anxiety and depression, increases empathy, compassion and resilience and can make us live longer. The global pandemic has made us all a little more conscious about the importance of human connections in our lives.

HOW CAN PEOPLE PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT?

The GenWell Project wants to be the catalyst that inspires you to reach out and get connected face to face with others because it’s fun and you and those you get together with will benefit from it. We are a grassroots movement that asking you to do the following:

Watch this video Link
Take the pledge and reach out and connect for your own health or the health of someone you know. – link to the page on the website
Consider making a donation to support the Global Human Connection Movement, so we can continue to educate 38 million Canadians, of all ages, about the benefits of human connection and catalyze them to take action. You can make a donation here. Link
Let others know you’re a generator of human connections by purchasing some GenWell Project merchandise and begin your journey as a Human Connection Catalyst. – link to merchandise page
Make plans to get connected on the next GenWell Weekend and be part of the Human Connection Movement across Canada and around the world. Stay tuned for the date of our next weekend!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO CONNECTING FACE TO FACE AND BUILDING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS?

Research has clearly shown that there are many health benefits from spending more time with others and the relationships that evolve from them.

Increased mental and physical well-being
Lower levels of anxiety and depression (single best preventative action you can take to prevent depression)
Increased happiness
Higher self-esteem
Greater empathy and compassion for others
Helps you recover from disease/strengthens your immune system
A 50% increase in your chances of living longer

There are many potential negative health aspects to being isolated and feeling lonely.

Higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.
29 per cent increased risk of a heart attack or angina and a 32 per cent heightened risk of having a stroke.
Social isolation was associated with about a 50% percent increased risk of dementia.
Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
Increased risk of early onset mortality, by up to 50%

In general, increased isolation, disconnection and loneliness increases the risk of premature death from all causes by 50% and has an effect on your mortality risk roughly comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and greater than obesity and physical inactivity. That is why we want to inspire you to build healthier connection habits starting today or join us on the next GenWell Weekend and become part of the Global Human Connection Movement that is working to make the world a happier and healthier place, one face-to-face conversation at a time.

WHAT IF PEOPLE ALREADY FEEL SOCIALLY CONNECTED?

We all play a role in proactively building healthier connections at home, on our streets, in the office, at class or in the community. If things are going well in your life right now, congratulations. You now have an opportunity to play a role in helping those who don’t feel so confident in reaching, to get connected. A simple call, zoom or even better, face-to-face meeting, can have an incredibly powerful impact and you might even feel good about it as well! Maybe someone who has lost their job in the pandemic, been sick or suffered an injury, or maybe struggling with a relationship. Maybe it’s a senior, a new mother or a young person who would benefit from getting connected? The number of people who would benefit from our outreach and time is endless. We just want to be the excuse for you to make it happen! Thanks for being part of the solution.

WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T NATURALLY CONNECT WITH OTHERS?

For those who struggle with the idea of getting connected, we hope that our tips, tools and ideas on how you can start getting connected might inspire you to reach out. Maybe its about starting small with an old friend, maybe a neighbour that you have been meaning to reach out to, or maybe even volunteering you time and connecting with others who may need your connection even more than you? If those ideas don’t work, then join us for the next GenWell Weekend, when we hope to be the catalyst that inspires Canadians and people around the world to get connected on strategically selected weekends, so we can make it easier for people to reach out, because when we all do something together it makes it easier for everyone to participate. Finally, remember that connecting with others should be fun. Don’t complicate it with costs or permits, just reach out and say hello if that is a good start for you! Follow our social platforms for more daily tips, tools and ideas.

WHAT IS A GENWELL PROJECT?

A GenWell Project is any gathering inspired by the GenWell Project message and its mission to make the world a happier and healthier place by getting people connected face to face. A GenWell Project could be as small as you and a friend or neighbour having coffee, a family or extended family BBQ, a street long pot luck or pancake breakfast or maybe even a sporting activity with colleagues or classmates. We aren’t particular about what you do, we just want to be the catalyst that inspires you to take that step to reach out and get connected to the person or people that you have been meaning to see, or someone you know who would benefit from your outreach. By giving people permission to get connected on a identified weekend, through the positive lens of celebrating human connection, we make it easier for everyone to play a part and bring us all together, across Canada and around the world.

WHEN IS THE NEXT GENWELL WEEKEND?

Check our social channels for details, but during Covid-19 we are focusing on reminding people who and how to connect as Covid-19 is the catalyst for all of us to remember how important human connection is in our lives. ON GenWell Weekends, we encourage schools and businesses to get their communities connected face-to-face on Friday and then encourage everyone to do the same with family, friends or neighbours throughout the rest of the weekend! Have fun! Free registration for the next GenWell Weekend will open 4 weeks before the identified weekend.

WHO CAN HOST A GENWELL PROJECT?

Anyone can! On GenWell Weekends we want to empower all Canadians to be part of the solution to a disconnected and socially isolated world. By planning a gathering of family, friends, neighbours or colleagues and registering your intention at www.GenWellProject.org (when registration opens 4 weeks before the weekend) you become part of the Global Human Connection Movement that will make you and everyone you reach out to, happier and healthier. We appreciate your leadership in getting your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues or classmates together and are always excited to hear about your story after the event through our wrap survey. Don’t forget, the size of your gathering isn’t the important part. It’s about getting connected and enjoying the people that you invite to spend time with. Don’t forget to take pictures and videos of your gathering so you can share them with us and inspire others to get connected as well!

WHY DO YOU DO GENWELL WEEKENDS TWICE A YEAR?

Spring (First weekend in May)

It is a great time to inspire people to get reconnected after the dark nights and cold days of winter.
Students come back from university the last week of April providing one more reason for people to get reconnected on their street or in their community.
Before the May 24 weekend, when many people begin their summer travel or vacation rituals, which sees them heading out of their neighbourhoods/community.
Many people struggle with seasonal transition, so our weekends happen when people need it most.
Suicide rates are highest during the spring and early summer.

Fall (3 weeks after Labour Day Weekend)

It’s just long enough after people get settled after Labour Day weekend to nudge people to start building those healthy connections before the darker and colder days of fall and winter.
The transition from the slower pace of summer to the faster pace of the fall can be a struggle for many, so building a support network at this time can be extremely valuable.
Students are back at school for post-secondary and there is an opportunity to use The GenWell Project to get them connected in their new community at school.

HOW BIG DOES IT NEED TO BE?

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER and we think that keeping it smaller may even provide for more opportunities to truly connect. Whatever works for you and the people you are gathering with is what we want to encourage you to do. It might be you and your neighbour for a coffee, the extended family for a BBQ, your pals from the office or class for a picnic, or the kids on the street for a basketball game or maybe be a street long pot luck. Whatever you want to do in order to create some face-to-face connections, which we know will be a ton of fun. Don’t forget, there is no cost to register and those who participate get all the health and wellness benefits of doing so!

WHAT IF I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE? WHAT DO I DO TO CREATE A GENWELL PROJECT?

Honestly, it can be anything that feels good to you. It could be as small as you inviting a neighbour or a friend over to your house for a coffee or tea, or it could be as big as a street party. It could be about gathering the kids on the street to play a sport, some arts and crafts or maybe a board game competition. Maybe it’s inviting some classmates or colleagues over for a BBQ. We have lots of suggestions which you can check out on our website, but don’t make it complicated. If cooking seems too big of a task, order out or just do drinks. If money is an issue do a BYOD (bring your own drinks). The power is in the connection, not in what you serve or what you do to get people together. Most importantly, have fun and make this the start of building healthier connection habits moving forward.

WHAT IF I AM NERVOUS TO INVITE PEOPLE I DON’T SPEAK TO REGULARLY?

Research would suggest we all want to connect, it’s a human innate need that we all have, but the world we live in has made it increasingly more challenging to do so. This is why we created The GenWell Project! We wanted to give you the information, the excuse and the permission to reach out in support a great movement, instead of having to create the excuse yourself. This deflects some of the pressure from you to the purpose of helping others get connected, which makes the world a better place for everyone. We’ve all been on the receiving end of an invite when we’ve just been too busy or tired to make the effort ourselves and we know just how good it feels to know that someone else cares. Go make it happen!

WHAT IF I LIVE IN A CONDO?

Research would suggest that the larger the building, the less likely we are to try and connect with others, but The GenWell Project believes that condo and apartment living may be one of the greatest places to get connected! Trying to connect with an entire building may be a challenge, but how about breaking it down to bite sized pieces. For the next GenWell Weekend, maybe it’s about connecting with your immediate neighbour? Maybe it’s the people who live on your floor. Know some people on another floor? How about bringing two floors together. Whatever you can do in order to create some stronger connections and build the community that makes everyone happier and healthier. Don’t forget, The GenWell Project has tips, tools and ideas on how you can make it all happen on our website.

We recognize that we live in a busy world and often times we just don’t make the time to connect with our neighbours You are surrounded by people, but too often we get caught up in our world and miss the things that are important. It takes one small invite, one small gathering or one small activity to change everything. Whether it’s just you and your neighbour having a coffee, maybe a wine and cheese or pot luck for the neighbours on your floor or a couple floors. The goal is to build those relationships and that community that will make your time living in that apartment or condominium more enjoyable. Check out our tips and tools area to see what we have to help make your GenWell Project a reality.

IS THERE A COST?

No! The GenWell Project has always believed that this message is too important to put a price tag on. We do ask you to register your GenWell Project so we can see the impact of the Human Connection Movement, but we would rather see you invest any money in the health and well-being of you and those you connect with.

IS A GENWELL WEEKEND ALL WEEKEND LONG?

On Friday of GenWell Weekends we want to inspire businesses and schools to take the steps to get their communities connected. We hope that schools will use The GenWell Project as the catalyst to speak about the importance of human connection in our lives, but also to show young people the positive side of putting down the technology and just hanging out with friends.

On the business side, the research is also very clear that a well connected office has many benefits for the staff and the business. Increased happiness, lower stress levels, higher retention, greater collaboration and up to a 22% increase in productivity, are just a few of the benefits for all involved. So, order in the pizza, fire up the BBQ, someone grab the drinks and let’s get this office connected! Don’t forget to invite your neighbours, partners and suppliers. We all benefit from spending time face to face.

On Friday night through to the end of the weekend, we want you to take The GenWell Project into your home, on your street or in your community. Whether it’s family, friends or neighbours, we want to be the catalyst for you to reach out and get connected with those that you have been meaning to see, but just haven’t made the time. Check out the ideas sections on our website here to see some ideas on what you might want to do when you get together!

HOW OFTEN ARE YOU PLANNING ON SCHEDULING A GENWELL WEEKEND?

We intend to activate around GenWell Weekends each spring and fall to be the catalyst that helps people create healthy ongoing connection habits. By doing so, we can all start to make the plans early to connect or reconnect with people that we have been meaning to get connected with, but just hadn’t made the time. By being consistent with our dates, we hope to entrench the idea of building greater human connection into our lives with family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and classmates, because we all recognize how much we need it…especially after the global pandemic. Don’t forget, with each GenWell Weekend there is also an opportunity for you to make a difference in the life of someone else.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDE YOU?

Your information is held, confidentially, with The GenWell Project. We do not sell or give third party access to the information.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE GENWELL PROJECT?

You are already in the right place, right here on our website. You can also follow us on our social platforms – Twitter, Linked in, Facebook, Instagram to get tips, tools, ideas and inspiration each day, so you can start building healthier connection habits starting today.