The Reset Residency is a free six-month program for ten Toronto youth (ages 18-30) who want to improve their social health, which is the aspect of well-being that comes from connection and community.

Our intention with this program is to remove financial barriers to our current offerings, guided by our core belief that social connection and skills are under-utilized solutions to our collective challenges and a crucial antidote to the growing issues of loneliness and disconnection.

Applications are now closed. If you applied, we will be in touch before the end of the month!

  • The epidemic of loneliness and isolation is widespread and has profound consequences for our individual and collective health and well-being. Lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 60% and loneliness alone poses the health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily. In addition to our physical health, loneliness and isolation contribute substantially to mental health challenges.

    Affordability is one of the biggest factors that contribute towards one’s experience with loneliness and disconnection and disproportionately impacts younger and elder folks.

    Reset’s Residency is intended to remove financial barriers and provide access to community and social skills.

  • Reset's Residency is a FREE 6 month journey for 10 individuals who are seeking a shift in their social health.

    Those accepted into the residency will be able to access a number of services and programs.

    Please see the benefits section to learn more and please note, there is no obligation or requirement to produce anything during the residency.

  • Reset's Residency is open those who are:

    • Toronto Residents.

    • Between the ages of 18 -30.

    • Self-Identify facing financial barriers to participate in Reset's programming.

    • Can commit to being able to attending programming at our Living Room and/or attending Camp Reset.

    Please note that we will prioritize folks living in the M6E area code, which is where our Living Room is located, as part of our intention to prioritize the local community.

    Please note that we are open all incomes, which may initially sound counter-intuitive. More details in the eligibility section below.

  • Those who are accepted to the Residency will be invited to:

    1. Attend Camp Reset, which is located in Bancroft, Ontario (travel can be provided) from September 12 - 15.

    AND/OR

    2. Visit Reset's Living Room, which is located at 634 Vaughan Road in Toronto, ideally but not exactly once a week for the duration of the Residency.

  • The Residency will commence September 1st 2024 and conclude February 28th 2025.

  • This program was made financially possible via a portion of the funds that we receive on a monthly basis from the 84 Founding Members of our Living Room.

    Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your BBE (Big Believer Energy) in Reset.

    We would also like to thank Camp Walden for their sponsorship of the 10 tickets available for Camp Reset.

  • Free ticket and transport to Camp Reset 2024.

  • Unlimited access to our weekly programming and community assets such as our beloved backyard sauna.

  • Free space and support to start a club or host an event at our Living Room.

  • Opportunity to participate in a social health learning journey with other folks in the Residency.

Program Benefits

Program Benefits

Eligibility Requirements

  • Young people experiences with loneliness and disconnection are rapidly increasing given the rise in polarization, income inequality, addictive devices and the decline in social infrastructure.

    Almost one in four Canadians aged 15 to 24 years old reported feeling always or often lonely and this demographic shows higher levels of loneliness compared to other age groups​ (Statistics Canada)​​ (Angus Reid)​.

    We recognize that older populations are also vulnerable to loneliness and disconnection and our intention is to eventually provide a similar offering for elder folks.

    If you or your organization would like to collaborate around this, please reach out. We desire more relations and lived experiences to do this work.

  • We are open to all Torontonians, however, we are emphasizing access for those who live geographically close to Reset's Living Room for 2 main reasons:

    1. Being close by increases the likeliness that you will access the Living Room.

    2. The ongoing displacement and disenfranchisement of many whom live here.

  • Arguably the biggest factor that contributes to one's sense of loneliness and isolation is affordability so we want to remove that barrier as much as possible.

    We ask folks to self-identify their need and do not ask specific questions in order to centre trust, dignity and because we believe that "barriers" can be nuanced, relative and contextual.

    For example, someone may have a salary but be unable to access Reset's offerings due to an unexpected tragedy or because they are caregiving or even "simply" because they have children.

    Given this and more, there is no universal line or marker to determine if you are eligible. If you've checked in with yourself and feel in integrity with applying, please apply!

  • Camp and our Living Room are the two biggest social health interventions we offer so being able to attend one or both is important.

    That said, not being able to attend either does not disqualify your application and we encourage you to apply.

Oy Lein Harrison | Reset Residency 2023 Participant

“The Reset Residency had a huge impact on me. It helped me reconnect with my culture, my community, and develop my practice as a Community Worker. In decolonial spaces we often talk about how the “Master’s tools will never dismantle the Master’s house,” and the program really put that into practice…there is so much spirit in being invited into community, to learn with community, from community, for the benefit of our community.”

Despite our intentions to reduce barriers with the Residency, we acknowledge there are still a number of barriers that exist, including but not limited to the following:

  • Reset’s Living Room and Camp Reset are not physically accessible.

  • We do not provide childcare.

  • Our Living Room and Camp are mask-optional spaces.

  • We are not able to provide transportation resources to visit the Living Room.

  • We exist on stolen land.

We are open to learning, growing, and meeting needs as best we can with the resources we have. We encourage you to reach out with your feelings, questions, and ideas.

Toronto is one of the loneliest cities in Canada with nearly four out of ten residents now reporting having the feeling three or four days a week.

The Toronto Foundation’s 2023 Vital Signs report, titled ‘The Power of Us,’ found that 37% of Toronto respondents to a wide-ranging survey reported feeling lonely at least three days a week.

The number of Torontonians who reported feeling lonely at least three days a week was higher than in any other city included in the survey. Read the full report here.

  • Reset is an award winning non-profit that is playing with new and renewed ways for humans to access connection and community.

  • We offer programming designed to practice relations with self and others such as our weekly Presence Practice that includes lives meditations with Kiona Mercer-Tremblay.

  • One of our signature offerings is "Good Work", which is coworking that considers your social health so that you hopefully feel energized at the end of your workday.

  • Camp Reset is our annual digital detox summer camp and one of the first experiences of its kind in the world.

Inside Stories: The People of Reset

Created by Lara Margaret Marjerrison, the INSIDE STORIES podcast explores themes related to place, space and identities with people from the Reset community in order to foster connection in a world suffering and dying from disconnectivity.

Shout out to the the 2023 Reset Residency!

Last year we hosted our inaugural Reset Residency which was a 6-month learning and well-being journey for 8 youth in relations with Little Jamaica to practice co-creation together.

Their Residency culminated in their creation of a free community event called “A Love Letter to Little Jamaica”, which celebrated Jamaican businesses, arts and culture.

Thank you to our inaugural Residency participants, to our community teachers and to the City of Toronto’s Cultural Hotspot program.

Andron Mckoy | Reset Residency 2023 Participant

“The Reset Residency was one of the best things I did last year. Not only did I make some amazing connections. I’ve made some lifelong friends.”