Why Our Work Matters
Social Disconnection
is more than a personal struggle.
It’s a Public Health Crisis.
At Friendzone, we exist to address a pressing social health challenge: social disconnection. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1 in 6 people globally experience loneliness, contributing to an estimated 871,000 deaths annually (2014-2019) with significant impacts on mental and physical well-being.
Youth Friendships
in Decline
Closer to home, the National Youth Council’s 2024 report highlights a worrying trend: nearly 20% of youths between 15–34 years old in Singapore have only one or zero close friends. As social circles shrink and become less diverse, young people are increasingly disconnected—
from their peers, their neighbourhoods, and wider society.
Our Impact Thus Far
Strangers became neighbours. Neighbours became a community. Here’s what we built together at Friendzone.
Our Theory of Change
Friendzone’s Theory of Change serves as a roadmap to define the steps we are taking to create meaningful impact.
By bringing people together for conversations through our events and workshops, we foster trust, create new connections, and strengthen communities, driving lasting social change.
Short-Term Outcome
Knowledge
More young adults understand how to build social capital, including networking, mutual support, and trust
Platforms
More young adults have access to facilitated events or digital platforms to build social capital
Attitude
More young adults value and actively seek opportunities to build social capital
Skills
More young adults gain communication, empathy, & relationship management skills necessary to build social capital
Mid-Term Outcome
Bonding Social Capital
We measured bonding social capital by looking at social trust levels and found that
90% of participants trusted their neighbours more after attending a Friendzone event.
This demonstrates the positive impact of our events in strengthening these connections through shared experiences.
Bridging Social Capital
Long-Term Outcome
Social Wellbeing
Many reported feeling more connected to those around them, with Friendzone providing a space to foster meaningful and lasting relationships. These results demonstrate real progress in helping people feel more supported and integrated within their neighbourhood community.
Participants who made the effort to stay in touch after the event also reported stronger indicators of social well-being. For example, a participant from Queenstown mentioned occasionally organising dinner gatherings with her group to catch up and seek advice on school-related matters.
