About Face to Face February

Face-to-Face February is an annual social health campaign targeting the student population at high schools, colleges and universities across Canada each February.

The campaign, built by students for students, is a month-long social connection challenge that encourages students to take action throughout the month to get more socially connected with others. Students can visit our Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) pages to find challenges that promote the importance of social health during this important month for students.

For some, the goal will be to achieve all the challenges, while others may prefer to do one challenge per week or find one challenge in the bunch that they feel comfortable doing. No matter how many you do, the objective is to help strengthen your social skills and social health, which positively impacts your mental and physical well-being.

Face-to-Face February is a campaign led by GenWell, Canada’s Human Connection Movement. Our mission is to educate, empower and catalyze everyone in Canada about the importance of prioritizing face-to-face connections, to support both personal well-being and the health and happiness of others.

How Was Face-to-Face February created?

WHY FEBRUARY?

A team of students from the Centennial College PR and Communications class in Toronto, Canada, originally developed the Face-to-Face February campaign. The campaign was built by students for students who had identified that February is one of the toughest months of
the student year due to several factors:

Exams - creating connections to support people through challenging exams.
Valentine’s Day - building connections that can give us a sense of belonging during key events.
Family Day - creating a sense of community when our own families may not be close by or available.
Reading Week - establishing relationships that can help us build life-long experiences together.
Ongoing shortage of light and coldness - harness the power of connection to build healthy habits with others during February's darker, colder days.

The goal of the campaign was to help students build the connections that could help them cope, find solutions, build resilience and find the joy and benefit in building greater human connections in February and beyond.

Why are campaigns like Face-to-Face
February so important?

Like food and exercise, social connection is a fundamental determinant of our health, happiness and longevity. CASCH (Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health) recently released Canada’s New Social Connection Guidelines, providing evidence-based guidance for fostering healthy social lives at the individual and community levels.

Individual Guidelines

Make social connection a priority throughout your life
Build a strong social network with a variety of kinds of relationships Maintain and deepen your relationships with others
Cultivate social confidence in yourself and others
Invest in getting enough social connection
Seek out face-to-face interactions and use technology wisely

Communities thrive when everyone feels connected and supported. The guidelines below provide recommendations for communities and their leaders. By implementing these guidelines, we can reduce and prevent loneliness, social isolation and disconnection.

Community Guidelines

Promote awareness of the importance of social connection Make social connection a priority in policies and practices Improve accessibility and inclusion for all people
Foster healthy social and emotional development
Design environments for connection and invest in social events, activities and programs
Measure and make progress towards improving social well-being

For more information, go to: www.socialconnectionguidelines.org

The Benefits

We chose November for several reasons:

Building stronger social skills

Engaging in face-to-face interactions offers the opportunity to practice and strengthen communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills. These moments allow students to navigate different social settings, develop confidence in connecting with others, and enhance their ability to maintain meaningful relationships over time.

Enhancing Physical Well-being

Social connections have a positive ripple effect on physical health by encouraging healthier habits, such as increased activity through shared experiences. Strong social ties have also been linked to improved immune function and lower risks of chronic illnesses, helping students thrive both mentally and physically.

Improving Mental Health

Spending quality time with peers can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness and stress, promoting a sense of belonging and emotional support. Human connection triggers the release of endorphins and other mood-boosting chemicals, creating a natural antidote to the pressures of academic life.

Creating a Sense of Community

By connecting face-to-face, students foster a sense of shared purpose and unity on their campus. Building these bonds not only improves individual well-being but also strengthens the broader community, creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all.