How to improve your social connections this International Day of Friendship

A special day for connection and community

There’s a special day coming up. No, it’s not your birthday or our birthday. It’s not Christmas, Eid, Diwali or Passover. It’s the United Nations’ International Day of Friendship which is celebrated every year on the 30th July. A day that we can all take part in no matter our country, culture or religion.

Considering we have the word ‘friend’ in the name Five Good Friends, this feels like an ideal day for us all to take part in. Friendship and social connection is so important to our health and happiness, so let’s learn more about the International Day of Friendship and how you can build social connections in your own life.

What is the International Day of Friendship?

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly, inspired by the idea that friendship between people, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The UN encourages governments, organisations, and community groups to hold events and activities that promote dialogue, reconciliation, and the harmony of different cultures.

Why we believe friendship is important?

We believe friendship is not only important for world harmony but also helps us live better lives as individuals. We have designed our home care model around the importance of friendship because people with genuine and positive friends and social connections live healthier, happier lives.

It’s not just a hunch, there is plenty of research to back it up. Research such as the Blue Zone study which examines regions where people regularly live vibrant and healthy lives past the age of 100. They attribute their longevity not only to diet and exercise but also to strong social and cultural connections.

A key commonality among Blue Zones is the emphasis on family, community, and friendship. For example, in Okinawa, Japan, each person has a Moai, a lifelong circle of friends who play a crucial role in supporting members through life's challenges. There’s also the Study of Adult Development, a Harvard study which was one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. It followed two groups of men over 75 years to identify predictors of healthy aging. The findings reveal that social connections significantly contribute to happiness, physical health, and longevity.

Being socially connected helps relax the nervous system, maintain brain health, and reduce emotional and physical pain, while loneliness is linked to earlier physical health decline and shorter lifespan.

The impact of loneliness

Having strong friendships and social connections can also stave off loneliness. Loneliness has many health impacts, including a relationship with depression, suicidality, heart disease and immune dysregulation as well as the likelihood of early mortality.

Charity Friends for Good did a study in 2023 where they spoke to people across Australia about their experiences of loneliness. They found that loneliness is highly stigmatised and people find it hard to talk about.

Some of their key findings include:

• 9 in 10 Australians have experienced loneliness at some point in their lives.
• Approximately 1.7 million Australian adults often or always experience loneliness.
• 84% of people think that others would feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit to feeling lonely and 53% say that they themselves would be embarrassed to tell others that they felt lonely.
• Men are more likely than women to view loneliness as a weakness.

It’s important to note that loneliness is subjective. It is about the quality of your friendships not just the quantity. You can be surrounded by people but not feel connected with them and still feel lonely.

How we can improve those social connections this International Day of Friendship

We know how hard fostering friendships can be, particularly if you have physical, mental or emotional challenges. However, it’s important to try, even if you feel vulnerable or scared. Here are some organisations and activities that are specifically designed to build community and connections.

Join a Men’s Shed

Men’s Sheds are community-based organisations that provide a space for men to connect, socialise, and engage in meaningful activities. These sheds often focus on woodworking, metalworking, and other hands-on projects. They address social isolation by fostering camaraderie and community support. It’s important to note that not all men’s sheds are exclusively for men. Some call themselves Community Sheds and are open to men and women. You can search for a Men’s Shed here.

Find a neighbourhood centre

These local centres provide a wide range of activities, classes, and social events to bring communities together. They offer opportunities for people of all ages to connect, learn new skills, and build friendships in a supportive environment. You can search for a neighbourhood house/centre here. Another option is a Village Hub.

Reach out to the G’Day Line

If you’re over 50 and need someone to chat to, you might like to give the G’Day line a call. It’s a free phone service designed to support older Australians who are feeling lonely or socially isolated. You can call anytime between 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week (AEST/AEDT) on 1300 920 552.

Try something new

Starting a new class or joining a club is one way you could meet new people. You could try something active such as yoga or aquarobics or visit your community garden. Or you could do something a bit more sedate like joining a book club, chess club or cooking club.

You could join a pen pal program where you’re partnered with a person to write to anywhere across the country. Or you could head online by joining a social network like Stitch or playing a game online with a chat function to get to know your opponent.

Speak to Five Good Friends

If you’re looking for more friendship in your life, speak to us at Five Good Friends. We know how important connection is when building a friendship so when we onboard new Members, we get to know your personality and interests. Our matching technology uses this information to help you find someone you click with to help you out.

If a person is going to come into your home, you need to be able to form a bond with them to become socially connected. Our goal is for all of us at Five Good Friends to become your Moai, your trusted group of friends who support you through life’s challenges.

If you’d like to know more about how we integrate friendship to help support our Members, get in touch with us.

Learn more: Gail's story - regaining confidence and independence