An effort to foster connection and combat social isolation is finally in operation on the Semiahmoo Peninsula after more than 1.5 years of planning.
Together-SSWR (South Surrey White Rock) is launching their Together Community Cafés event to take place around the community monthly. The first instalment was Sept. 16.
"What we need is opportunities for people to build natural support to reduce isolation, to create those opportunities for social connection, and that would be a really good preventative medicine piece," shared one of the leads for the cafés, Elizabeth Bannerman, a clinical psychologist.
Participants can drop in or register to the event, which will run monthly for individuals to connect with one another and learn about mental wellness from professionals volunteering their time for the program.
The group initially held community outreach sessions in 2022 where participating individuals shared their desire for more opportunities to connect with others socially and combat isolation. Each café will have a positive psychology framework to foster mental wellness in the community.
For the next few scheduled sessions, Laura's Coffee Corner is the chosen venue for its accessible location for residents.
"Since COVID especially, we all know that people are suffering. COVID really brought that to the forefront, I think, for all of us," Bannerman said.
At first, free counselling services were being offered to residents in the community who would benefit from the low-barrier service, after asking the question 'what can we do that's not being done right now?' to the community.
A different topic will be featured in each café: inviting joy for Oct. 21, power of me for Nov. 18, and healthy habits for Dec. 16.
"There is evidence to show that when individuals are connected to their community and they're not isolated, then their mental health and well-being improves," Deshpal Grewal, a community health specialist and lead for the Cafés, said in an interview.
"It is an upstream, preventative approach that we are trying to take."
The cafés are also intended to reach populations that struggle more often with finding community, such as seniors and newcomers, Grewal said.
As time progresses, the goal is to establish the Community Cafés in different parts of the Peninsula to hold weekly sessions. Each location will host the event once a month, but the goal may not come to fruition until next year.
The next few sessions are planned for Laura's Coffee Corner on Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with registration encouraged by emailing cyndyhill@together-sswr.com or calling 604-868-6841.
"We're really hoping by doing this we attract different populations. This is not just an issue for elderly people; mental wellness is an issue for all people," Bannerman said.
"We want to get everyone in the community involved so it becomes a breathing, living entity in the community."
Together-SSWR also wants to cater some cafés in different languages and in different areas of the community; for example, plans are in the works to reach out to local Indigenous groups to pique interest in the initiative.
"We're trying to make this as inclusive and as far-reaching in the community as we can," Bannerman said.
