Lilia Kalali - linkedin.com/in/lilia-k-9a967b352
Viola Berti - linkedin.com/in/viola-berti
Md. Shahriar Azad Evan - linkedin.com/in/msaevan101
Every winter in St. John's, over 300 cm of snow and steep hills trap thousands of seniors indoors for weeks.
Over 25% of the population is aged 65+, the highest rate in Canada, yet St john's has "yet to come up with a viable, effective, and functional solution so that people can have a better quality of life in our winter months". Seniors miss medical appointments, lose social connections, and experience severe mental health decline.
Meanwhile, in the local university, students feel disconnected, with only 30–40% staying after graduation because most jobs here are found through word of mouth, not online. Two crises, ageing isolation and failed integration, share one root cause: a lack of meaningful human connection.
To address this, we look to three key stakeholders: the university, to mobilise students; local businesses, to share knowledge and resources; and non-profits, to sponsor and embed the initiative within existing community networks. What is missing is simply the structure to connect them.
We propose a simple, inclusive solution to reduce winter isolation in St. John's by connecting seniors and students through a structured matching system. Students are paired based on shared interests, visiting regularly throughout winter and gathering weekly at accessible community hubs for shared activities, skill-building, and connection.
This solution is technically feasible, using existing spaces and a simple digital platform with no new infrastructure required. It is financially viable through low operating costs, university partnerships, municipal support, and volunteer participation. It is socially acceptable because both groups benefit equally: seniors gain companionship and safety, while students build local networks and find reasons to stay.
Economically, retaining young talent strengthens the local workforce and reduces long-term pressure on healthcare and social services. Environmentally, it is sustainable by design, requiring no new construction and reducing isolation before it escalates into far costlier systemic pressures.
Our solution rests on several assumptions we acknowledge openly. First, we assume that interest-based matching will produce meaningful intergenerational bonds; this remains untested in St. John's specifically and will require iterative refinement after pilot feedback.
Second, we assume Memorial University will formalize partnership arrangements; early outreach to MUN's community engagement office is a first implementation priority.
Third, our claim that only 30–40% of international students remain post-graduation is based on community testimony rather than verified institutional data, which we intend to confirm with MUN registrar records. Fourth, we assume existing accessible buildings near transit routes can serve as hubs; a venue audit must precede any launch.