Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, N.S., now has “happy to chat” decals, posters and stickers on certain couches and tables. If you sit in one of these designated areas, it means you’re open to meeting someone new. “They are areas that are designated in the mall that will encourage people to have conversations or people they haven’t met before or strangers and just show that they are looking to have a conversation and it’s to show that they aren’t alone in the world,” says Tia Hathaway, Mic Mac Mall client experience and community engagement manager. The initiative originated in Cardiff Wales in 2019 and The Dartmouth Community Health Board brought it to Nova Scotia in 2022. They implemented 20 happy to chat benches in Dartmouth and are glad to see it expand to an indoor space. “A lot of our health doesn’t begin in the hospitals; it begins in the community. There is lots of research on social connection and it not only had a huge impact on our emotional wellbeing but on our mental health and physical health as well,” says Mikayla Boucher, Dartmouth Community Health board co-chair. People sit in a designated space with the signs or collect a sticker from guest services and then take part in conversations. “Because they are decals, we can add or subtract depending on how often we see people using the spaces. Right now, we have four designated spaces on the first and second levels,” says Hathaway. “We really hope that this opens up lines of communication for people that may have a hard time starting conversations. Maybe they feel lonely or maybe they feel isolated. This is a natural spot for them to come to and maybe look at other people that may be in the same situation.” Erin Christie with the Canadian Mental Health Association says the announcement coincides with mental health week and this year’s theme of connection. “The World Health Organization says that one in six people are experiencing loneliness around the world. That’s a lot. They say in Nova Scotia that 13 per cent have reported feeling lonely,” says Christie. Christie says one in every four Nova Scotians are struggling with their mental health so they are hopeful this program can make a difference. “It was important for us to get on board because not only did it align with the theme of connection but bringing people together and connecting people whether it’s to services or to themselves through our mental health literacy program is what we do. So, it just made perfect sense,” says Christie. This initiative launched at the Mic Mac Mall Thursday, so the team is looking forward to watching the connections that develop through these spaces. They hope people are encouraged to speak to one another. “We’re hoping with the happy to chat seating that we can expand it to other areas in the shopping centre and add more seating as it becomes necessary,” says Hathaway. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
