Founder of Make New Friends on the Gold Coast.
Founder of Make New Friends on the Gold Coast.
Making friends as an adult can be hard, but Sabrina Chevrier is here to lend a hand. As the founder of Make New Friends on the Gold Coast, she has created the largest Facebook social group for women in the area. The group’s events range from “Speed Friending” to “Self-Love Paint and Sips,” and they collaborate with local businesses for various activities. But it’s not just about socialising; Sabrina sees her group as a powerful tool to help women build quality friendships, combat loneliness, and empower one another. We chatted with Sabrina about the origins of the group and and the impact she’s making on the Gold Coast community.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I’ve been here for about 8 years now!
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
I believe that being between the beach and the Hinterland makes the Gold Coast special. You can easily spend the morning at the beach and the afternoon in the rainforest. I also love the cultural diversity that is reflected in all the dining experiences and events.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m originally from Iles-de-la-Madeleine, a tiny island part of Quebec, Canada, so my first language is French. I learned English here, in Australia. I also speak a bit of Spanish and I’m trying to learn Portuguese. I live in Tugun with my partner and our German shepherd. We love to go fishing and travel as often as we can with our campervan!
Professionally, I’m driven by a few core passions: Art, psychology and community. I always strive to stay aligned with my passions. I’m an artist and run art workshops for women that are all about self-love, empowerment and developing our intuition.
Can you tell us about your women’s social group, Make New Friends on the Gold Coast?
This group unexpectedly became the largest Facebook social group for women on the Gold Coast. It grew organically over 7 years. We now have close to 12,000 vetted members. It is open to all women living on the Gold Coast who want to make friends. It started with 3 of us (myself, Catarina and Leanne, who are not part of the admin team anymore, but did take part in the initial creation and management of the group) wanting to expand our social circle.
It’s only 10 months ago that I began to truly get over my own anxiety and fears and started organising structured group events. 7 years in! It was already a well-known platform for women to meet, but I believe it wasn’t used to its full potential. My goal is to create a safe space for women to put themselves out there so they can find authentic connections, and know that they can come to my events in full confidence that they are welcomed and wanted there. I regularly have people messaging me and telling me how they found their best friend in my group and those messages really make it worth all the time invested in it.
Could you share a bit about the types of events and activities that members can expect when joining your community?
When joining, members can post introducing themselves, or scroll through the posts and find women of all ages with a variety of interests and hobbies introducing themselves and seeking connection with women who resonate with what they have written. Everyone is welcomed to post on the group and organise a coffee date, a dinner, invite people to an event or night out. Our main group events are our regular “Speed Friending” events that I host with my friend and business partner Ashlee Johnson Turner (speaker and coach), and my “Self-Love Paint and Sips”, but I am always seeking different Gold Coast businesses who align with the community to collaborate with and offer different venues/activities for the group. I have a few in mind for next year that I won’t reveal just yet! We are also facilitating a retreat for the women of the group at the end of November. Only 2 spots left, but more to come next year!
Speed Friending sound intriguing. Could you elaborate on how these events work?
Think of it as speed dating, but instead of looking for the love of your life, you are looking for your best pals!. Our usual setting looks like this: Everyone receives a badge with their participant number and name upon arrival, as well as a form to take note of who they would like to match with at the end. The attendees sit in front of each other, and we start the timer! The girls have a few minutes to discuss a topic of their choice or use prompts provided before moving to the next participant. At the end, we take the forms and follow up with the participants via email to give them their mutual matches. Ashlee and I highly value play and authenticity in what we do, so we are always having fun or doing something silly to make people laugh and feel like they can be themselves too. We highly recommend you come solo!
How do you see Make New Friends on the Gold Coast contributing to empowering and connecting women in the Gold Coast community?
Social media can both empower and isolate women. According to The Australian Loneliness Report (Swinburne University), loneliness is affecting 1 in 4 Australian, and it is proven to be a precursor to various of mental health challenges. I want to use my platform the right way by nurturing a safe space and create a sense of community to combat loneliness.
There’s something really empowering about making the choice to be vulnerable and admit that you are craving connection with women who share similar values to yours. By doing it, you also give permission to other women to come forward and say “I want that too!”, without fear of judgement.
“Make New Friends on the Gold Coast” is a place where those who participate are given opportunities to build quality friendships, grow as individuals, and to learn how to build authentic connections with others.
Could you provide a sneak peek into any future events that members can look forward to?
Along with our regular Speed Friending events, Ashlee and I are starting a free monthly “Gals With Gratitude” meet up. These meet ups will be happening every first Thursday of every month in Burleigh Heads, 6 am. Join us with a coffee or juice in hand and let us celebrate you for your latest wins, big or small, get to know each other, and start the day on a high. I suggest joining the group and our Instagram to stay up to date! We are also planning more retreats as we know the power of gathering women to learn, create and grow together.
On a side note, I’d like to thank my team of moderators who are doing an amazing job. I could not keep up without them!
What are your Gold Coast Favourites:
Favourite café: Custard Canteen!
Favourite restaurant: Costa Taco in Palm Beach.
Favourite bar: That’s a hard question as there are so many amazing bars on the Gold Coast and it really depends on what you want to experience. I love El Ranchero in Burleigh. They really go out of their way to offer something different, and they do the best Margaritas. I also love Tropic Vice, a beautiful, colourful roof top in Nobby’s with an equally dedicated and passionate owner.
Favourite beach: My local, Tugun!
How do you choose to spend your days off?
I asked my partner to help me answer this question, and his answer was “You spend your days off working!”, and he’s not wrong haha! When I consciously choose to switch off, I love to go out dancing. Latin dances specifically. You will occasionally find both Ashlee and I on the dance floor at Stingray Lounge. I also love going to bathhouses to relax (Native in Kirra or Ground in Currumbin are my favourites at the moment), or taking a trip somewhere with my partner and my dog in my campervan.
