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Social connection, the structure, function, and quality of our relationships, is a human need for our emotional and physical health, just like food and water. Learn more >
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Explore Resources: ideas and models for connection
The Social Connection Circle offers ideas, frameworks, and models for making it easier to meet new people and build lasting connections — in Wisconsin and beyond. It's organized around three areas:
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MingleSpaces — helping places and events create simple, visible connection spots at their venues
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Connection Driven Events — ideas for intentionally designing events that lead to more meaningful interactions
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Neighborhood Connectors — resources for residents who want to help foster friendly, connected neighborhoods
Let's Make it Easier to Connect
To foster communities where people feel free to say hi and introduce themselves to others while out and about and at events, where it's normal for strangers to become friendly neighbors, and where everyone has abundant opportunities for social connection.
Vision
The Social Connection Circle offers ideas, frameworks, and models for making it easier to meet new people and build lasting connections — in Wisconsin and beyond. It's organized around three areas:
-
MingleSpaces — helping places and events create simple, visible connection spots at their venues
-
Connection Driven Events — ideas for intentionally designing events that lead to more meaningful interactions
-
Neighborhood Connectors — resources for residents who want to help foster friendly, connected neighborhoods
Overview
Greater social connection cuts a person's risk of early death by 50%.
50%
The health risk of lacking social connection is twice the risk of obesity and greater than the risk of lack of exercise.
2x
Social isolation increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by 30%.
30%
Prolonged isolation has health risks equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day or having alcohol use disorder.
15
Our everyday places are missing a simple piece of social infrastructure: a dedicated spot where it's normal and expected to introduce yourself. Without it, we lose many opportunities to spontaneously interact with people around us, whether to share ideas, make future friends, or find collaborators in our communities.
Our everyday places are in the best position to solve this. If they simply create spots for spontaneous connection, people will do the rest. That's the idea behind MingleSpaces.
A simple sign creates a connection spot — a table or area where anyone can drop in, scan a QR code, and start talking through built-in prompts and light activities. A MingleSpace isn’t an event, and it doesn’t require an RSVP, host, or staff. It’s simply an open spot to meet new people — a space designed to help strangers start talking and share ideas.
MingleSpaces
A Connection-Driven Event is an event intentionally designed to make it easier for people to meet one another, form meaningful connections, and feel a sense of belonging. While events bring people together in the same place, simply being around other people doesn't necessarily lead to connection—especially for someone who arrives alone or isn't naturally comfortable approaching strangers. Connection-Driven Events address this by building opportunities for interaction into the event itself, rather than leaving connection entirely up to individual initiative or chance.
These events use simple structures, activities, and hosting practices that normalize conversation and give people permission and context to meet someone new. This might include guided introductions, discussion prompts, small-group activities, collaborative projects, interest-based name tags, conversation games, or designated hosts who welcome and connect attendees.
Connection Driven Events
A Neighborhood Connector is a resident who helps neighbors get to know one another, welcomes new people, organizes gatherings, shares community opportunities, and helps neighbors discover shared interests, skills, and ideas.
The role can be as simple as introducing yourself to people on your block or as involved as organizing neighborhood gatherings and projects.
Communities can support connectors with simple tools, activity ideas, regular opportunities to exchange experiences, and support from local organizations.
Neighborhood Connectors
Rising disconnection and missed everyday opportunities to talk with the people around us are widespread. The Social Connection Circle focuses on a practical response: build simple social infrastructure in everyday places and events so introductions feel normal, easy, and welcomed. By making it easier to say hi and by integrating connection into public life, we can unlock interactions that otherwise never happen and make more of society’s meeting places inclusive for anyone seeking connection.
Context
Our monthly Social Connection Circle event series will continue in February. Join our mailing list to know details as we release them.
More info coming soon.
Share & Connect
February | TBA
Events
From sharing circles to large gatherings - we're here to help people make face to face connections.
We are in conversation with and drawing inspiration from organizations around the country working on building connected communities, including those below. Contact us to collaborate.
National Inspiration
Public School Teacher
Juan Carlos
I'm so grateful for the Social Connection Circle initiatives in our community. Connection is needed more now than ever.
Business Owner
Paula Jackson
Having access to a community let alone the resources has been so helpful - to know I'm not alone and there are initiatives in my local community supporting connection.
Community Director
City of Milwaukee
We've been looking forward to our partnership with the Social Connection Circle for sometime now - it's just the beginning.
Testimonials
Website Notice
Hi, my name is Michael Kirsch This Social Connection Circle website was created in 2024 as an outline for an organization that ended up becoming a more focused initiative run out of www.minglespace.org. We have left the website up in case it is inspirational. It may become a standalone blog on social connection or evolve into something else.
While the elements of this website are not actively managed here, we still believe every city should run a Social Connection Circle—advancing initiatives like MingleSpaces, Connection-Driven Events, and Neighborhood Connectors so social connection is abundant for all.
Michael Kirsch
