By Asha Croggon, National Leadership for the Friendly Calls Program
Each May, Mental Health Awareness Week invites people living in Canada to peel back the layers that conceal how we are truly doing. This year’s theme, #UnmaskingMentalHealth encourages everyone to speak openly about what often goes unnoticed.
According to the World Health Organization, social isolation and loneliness are major global public health concerns. They can be linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and dementia.
Social isolation and loneliness are often overlooked. While someone may seem “fine” on the outside, disconnection, grief, or anxiety may be concealed beneath the surface. To unmask mental health, we must first recognize that loneliness comes in many forms, and no one should have to face it alone.
In Canada, we spend an average of more than 1,700 hours a year at our workplace and often rely on it for daily social interaction. While many of us appreciate the flexibility, convenience, and improved work-life balance that comes with remote and hybrid work, with fewer meaningful in-person connections, our mental health can be impacted.
Credit: Canadian Red Cross
From a wellbeing perspective, addressing social isolation in our work environments is key to creating psychologically safe workplaces, whether in-person or online.
For those working remotely or in hybrid roles, small intentional actions can help build connection – such as scheduling regular virtual coffee (or tea!) chats, checking in with colleagues beyond work tasks, or participating in team-building activities. Creating routines that incorporate connections, even in small ways, can help foster a sense of belonging and support.
Taking care of our mental health doesn’t always require clinical intervention. Sometimes, a “How are you, really?” along with compassion and a safe space to have meaningful conversations is what is needed. That’s where Friendly Calls, a Canadian Red Cross program available throughout Canada, is making a difference by creating that space.
Credit: Canadian Red Cross
Whether someone is recovering from illness, struggling with everyday loneliness, or just needs someone to talk to for emotional support, Friendly Calls offers a steady, caring presence to shed the mask of, “I’m fine.”
Through regular phone check-ins, the program helps participants feel seen and heard. Each call is a genuine human connection, offered without judgment or pressure, by the voice at the other end of the line.
You don't need special skills or experience either — all you need is kindness, compassion, and a couple of hours a week! If you'd like to learn more, sign up to be a Friendly Calls volunteer!
If you’re looking for community connections, or even if you could use a little encouragement and emotional support, find out if the Friendly Calls program is for you!
Each May, Mental Health Awareness Week invites people living in Canada to peel back the layers that conceal how we are truly doing. This year’s theme, #UnmaskingMentalHealth encourages everyone to speak openly about what often goes unnoticed.
According to the World Health Organization, social isolation and loneliness are major global public health concerns. They can be linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and dementia.
Social isolation and loneliness are often overlooked. While someone may seem “fine” on the outside, disconnection, grief, or anxiety may be concealed beneath the surface. To unmask mental health, we must first recognize that loneliness comes in many forms, and no one should have to face it alone.
Why Social Connection Matters for Mental Health and Wellbeing
As remote and hybrid work rise in Canada, so do feelings of isolation – 25 per cent of fully remote employees report loneliness, compared to 16 per cent of those working on-site.In Canada, we spend an average of more than 1,700 hours a year at our workplace and often rely on it for daily social interaction. While many of us appreciate the flexibility, convenience, and improved work-life balance that comes with remote and hybrid work, with fewer meaningful in-person connections, our mental health can be impacted.
Credit: Canadian Red Cross
From a wellbeing perspective, addressing social isolation in our work environments is key to creating psychologically safe workplaces, whether in-person or online.
For those working remotely or in hybrid roles, small intentional actions can help build connection – such as scheduling regular virtual coffee (or tea!) chats, checking in with colleagues beyond work tasks, or participating in team-building activities. Creating routines that incorporate connections, even in small ways, can help foster a sense of belonging and support.
Make a Connection with Friendly Calls, One Call at a Time
Research consistently shows that social connection is a key protective factor for mental health. Yet, many people living in Canada – especially those in rural or remote communities – lack easy access to supports that feel safe, non-clinical, and culturally sensitive.Taking care of our mental health doesn’t always require clinical intervention. Sometimes, a “How are you, really?” along with compassion and a safe space to have meaningful conversations is what is needed. That’s where Friendly Calls, a Canadian Red Cross program available throughout Canada, is making a difference by creating that space.
Credit: Canadian Red Cross
Whether someone is recovering from illness, struggling with everyday loneliness, or just needs someone to talk to for emotional support, Friendly Calls offers a steady, caring presence to shed the mask of, “I’m fine.”
Through regular phone check-ins, the program helps participants feel seen and heard. Each call is a genuine human connection, offered without judgment or pressure, by the voice at the other end of the line.
While the impact of the program cannot just be measured in numbers, in 2024 alone Friendly Calls meant:
- 34,127 people connected across Canada.
- 2.9 million minutes of supportive and stigma-reducing conversations.
- 79,043 connections.
- 2,656 resource referrals, helping people connect with services.
Interested in becoming a Friendly Calls Volunteer?
As a Red Cross Friendly Calls volunteer, you can have a lasting, positive impact on the life of someone who needs connection with another person.You don't need special skills or experience either — all you need is kindness, compassion, and a couple of hours a week! If you'd like to learn more, sign up to be a Friendly Calls volunteer!
