Last November, when the Canadian government removed the cap on the number of hours international students are allowed to work, it had the unintended consequence of reducing their free time and limiting their ability to invest in face-to-face social connections here in Canada.
That’s why a group of Centennial College public relations students are partnering with The GenWell Project, the human connection movement, to host #traveltheworldin28days. This third year of the Face-to-Face February campaign is a 28-day national social media challenge encouraging all students to explore their city's diverse neighbourhoods and get socially connected.
The campaign is open to everyone everywhere, but this February the campaign highlights the need to connect international students. There are record numbers of international students coming into Canadian post-secondary institutions and feeling the effects of living, studying and working all alone in a foreign land.
Participants are encouraged to post photos or videos of themselves performing daily challenges using the hashtag #FaceToFaceFeb, #traveltheworldin28days and tagging @GenWellProject. The daily challenges will be posted each morning on the GenWell Project’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter platforms.
"In the work we’ve been doing at colleges and universities across Canada since 2016, it’s clear that students are struggling with their social health and it’s leading to poor mental and physical health," says Pete Bombaci, founder and executive director of the GenWell Project.
"One group of students that has repeatedly highlighted their desire for greater human connection are international students. The students that designed this year's Face-to-Face February campaign for The GenWell Project have done an excellent job recognizing that all students can play a role in building more connected campuses and communities, whatever their background might be," he says.
Post-secondary students are already three times more likely to be impacted by the effects of isolation and the growing loneliness epidemic, and this doesn’t take into account the added difficulty international students face being far away from family and friends.
"I wasn’t sure how to make friends when I first arrived in Toronto," says Charlotte Leung, an international student in the PR program who traveled from Hong Kong last September. "I didn’t have my usual circle of friends to lean on, I was living alone for the first time and I was super shy to talk to strangers. I started chatting to people because I was feeling lonely and it was amazing – I have made a lot of new friends here, at school and in my new neighbourhood."
The campaign began on February 1 on the GenWell Project’s Instagram page with challenges designed to encourage everyone to #traveltheworldin28days via international cuisine, outdoor activities, cultural conversations, community events and celebrations.
About the GenWell Project
The GenWell Project is a human connection movement whose mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place by reminding people about the importance of face-to-face social connection and inspiring them to take action and create healthy ongoing connection habits. Join the movement, bring your community together, become a generator of great conversations and connections in your life and in the lives of others.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Centennial College CC+PR student Riley Fray, acaronma@my.centennialcollege.ca, 647-533-0393.