Disconnect to reconnect

Social September encourages us to press pause – disconnect from our digital lives and reconnect with each other and ourselves. The aim is to create spaces for face-to-face social connection, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Social September is raising funds for The Reach Foundation. Reach is a youth organisation, founded in 1994. Its school and community programs create safe spaces where young people can share stories and experiences, build meaningful connections and recognise that they’re not alone.

You can nominate to take one or two key actions throughout September:

1. Disconnect – a personal challenge to reduce your technology use (take on a Disconnect rehab, detox or diet challenge)
2. Reconnect – a face-to-face fundraising event to connect with people (host, attend or dedicate an existing event to Social September)

Your ‘disconnect’ challenge is a personal choice – something that you feel could have the ability to create a little more space in your face-to-face life in September. You might like to limit checking your smartphone or work emails at home after a certain time or in bed (diet), reduce your use of a favourite app (detox), employ phonestacks at meetings and meals (diet), play less digital games (detox), temporarily deactivate your Facebook/twitter/linked in account (detox), or even head for a break to a technology free location (rehab).

Your ‘reconnect’ challenge is about bringing people together. As an individual or in teams, invite friends to a face-to face-event, as small or as large as you would like. Ideas range from dinner parties to morning teas, school events to a team sporting challenge, a corporate alumni function, retreat weekend or mentoring.  Check out the ‘social kit’ with more ideas, tips on how to reconnect and fundraising guidance.