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Adeelah Saad stood in the rain on Vancouver’s Arbutus Greenway at West 33rd Avenue Sunday morning with about a dozen friends, new and old.

The group waited a few extra minutes for stragglers, then headed south on the first Walk to End Social Isolation, put on by Beyond the Conversation, a volunteer organization that works to create bridges among seniors, immigrants, refugees and young people. The idea of the walk, intended to be an annual event, was to help create community, Saad explained.

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“When people feel socially isolated and disconnected, there’s certain factors like illnesses that come into play. Among young folks you’re seeing higher rates of suicide, higher rates of severe depression. Among seniors you see that they’re not getting the care that they need,” she said.

“Lets be honest, in Vancouver there’s a lot of people … who say this city is not socially inclusive.”

Beyond the Conversation started in 2015. Among the activities it fosters are meet-ups across the city where participants can talk together, play cards, practice english and spend time with others, Saad explained.