Connect Up 2617 (now simply Connect Up) began as a 12-month research pilot led by the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute, supporting 18–30 year olds in Belconnen to build meaningful social connections. The findings were recently presented at the Belconnen Community Centre in March, with support from ACTCOSS, highlighting the importance of connection and belonging across our region.
Delivered between March 2024 and October 2025, the pilot focused on young adults living in Belconnen and Bruce, communities with a significantly higher proportion of young people (over 40%) compared to the ACT average (16%). The project responded to a clear need: supporting connection in places where young adults are present, but not always connected.
Over the course of the pilot, 645 participants took part in an average of 28 activities each month, from arts and crafts and team sports to hiking, board games, music nights and shared meals. These activities were intentionally low-cost or free, held regularly in accessible local venues, and supported by trained Community Connectors and a growing group of volunteers who helped create a welcoming, inclusive environment.
The results were compelling:
- 90% improved sense of belonging
- +32% increase in feelings of companionship
- +36% reduction in isolation
- +32% reduction in feeling left out
- 70%+ had more friends to connect with regularly
- Nearly half had more people they could rely on for help
Participants also described powerful personal shifts, moving from social anxiety to confidence, from isolation to genuine friendship. Many shared that they felt more at home in Belconnen than ever before, with some even choosing to stay in the area because of the connections they had built.
As Dr Barbara Walsh, Project Lead of Connect Up 2617 at the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute, explains:
“Loneliness among young adults is the result of societal conditions – not personal failings – that can hopefully be addressed by designing connective environments and building community capacity for social connection.”
Now embedded at CRCS as Connect Up, the program is expanding across the wider Belconnen region and supporting people aged 18–39.
For CRCS, this work is a natural extension of what we already do. Across our services, we bring people together at every stage of life, from playgroups for children and their parents, to the Belconnen Youth Centre (ages 10–25), to Bit Bent supporting culturally diverse young people, and Involve social groups for older adults. In our 2025 participant survey, 71% of people said CRCS helped them feel connected to their community, and 83% said they would recommend us to others.
CRCS CEO Mandy Green said the program aligns strongly with CRCS’s long-standing focus on connection, inclusion and community wellbeing:
“Connect Up is a natural fit with our vision and purpose. It’s about helping young people feel connected and supported, giving them a sense of belonging, and creating more opportunities for engagement and inclusion in community life.”
Looking ahead, Connect Up is continuing to evolve. Some groups are already becoming self-sustaining, like The Hearth, a crochet and sewing group now led by its own community members. New activities are also emerging, including weekend pickleball, shaped by what participants are asking for.
“We are pleased to continue the great work started by the Health Research Institute and to make sure it grows with the community,” Mandy says.
As the program transitions beyond its initial research funding, volunteers now play a vital role, including welcoming participants, helping set up activities and helping create that all-important sense of belonging.
If you’re interested in volunteering, or have an activity you’d like to bring to Connect Up, we’d love to hear from you: community@crcs.com.au
Learn more:
Read more on the University of Canberra website: https://www.canberra.edu.au/uncover/news-archive/2026/march/from-lonely-people-to-connected-communities-why-australia-needs-a-social-connection-policy-agenda
Attend a Connect Up activity and see what’s on this week: Whats on – Connectup
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