Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognised as major challenges for mental health and wellbeing. At the same time, digital technologies are reshaping how people connect, seek support and engage with mental health services and communities.

This fireside chat will explore an important question for digital mental health: how can we intentionally design technologies and services that strengthen meaningful human connection?

Bringing together perspectives spanning digital health, psychiatry, mindfulness, lived experience and community-based mental health, Dr Janvier Rugira, Dr Allan Donsky and Martin Opiyo will explore what connection means for mental health and how digital approaches can help address loneliness across different contexts.

The conversation will consider connection at multiple levels, from our relationship with ourselves, to relationships and communities, to the digital systems increasingly shaping how support is accessed and experienced. Drawing on practical experience from Canada, Uganda and beyond, the speakers will explore how digital mental health can create pathways to belonging and support, while ensuring technology strengthens rather than substitutes the human relationships at the heart of mental wellbeing.

The following topics will be covered:

1. Why connection matters: How do loneliness and social connection affect mental health and wellbeing?
2. What meaningful connection looks like: What role do connection with self, others, community and belonging play in mental wellbeing?
3. Designing digital mental health for connection: How can digital tools and services reduce loneliness and strengthen meaningful connection?
4. Connecting digital and community support: How can digital approaches complement peer support, lived experience and community-based services across different contexts?
5. When connection becomes digital: How can we preserve trust, presence and human connection as people increasingly turn to digital platforms and AI for support?
6. Looking ahead: What would it mean to make social connection an intentional outcome of digital mental health implementation?