Welcome to the Uniting Communities Overcoming Loneliness monthly e-news. We’ll keep you up to date with the latest news about loneliness initiatives, research, innovative case studies and data.
Overcoming Loneliness replaces the former Teams platform and Not Alone newsletters.
If you have a story to share about how your work or organisation is overcoming loneliness, please contact us at advocacy@unitingcommunities.org
South Australia
Loneliness awareness week
During Loneliness awareness week in June, Uniting Communities called for greater awareness and action to reduce the effects of loneliness across our communities.
Read our media release on why loneliness is so important and why we need more action to overcome it.
Case study – Community Connections Program
The Community Connections program supports people to be more involved in their community and connect to support networks and services. It's a short-term (up to 12 weeks) support program delivered through a statewide network of partners that helps to build independence and social community connections. Uniting Communities is a program partner that offers services in the East, North and South.
Recently the program was able to support a participant from Sri Lanka, who was very isolated and lonely. They connected her with volunteering opportunities and assistance with her resume.
“I’m thankful for those that helped me, I am delighted with the opportunity to volunteer, it has assisted me with my personal development”.
Since completing the program, she has gone on to get paid work whilst continuing to volunteer. She has said that she could not do what she has done without the assistance of Community Connections.
Sue Pastro, Uniting Communities, Community Connections, Regional Coordinator, East, says that the program is so valuable for people to see their own potential and to share their stories.
“I love being able to connect people with community and see them flourish and grow”, she said.
Anglicare Community Connections success story:
The program helped Emma* who is 64 years old and lives on her own. Following a major heart surgery Emma became increasingly isolated and disconnected from her community. Emma was told about the Community Connections Program after receiving rehabilitation support from Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS). Emma received support in attending groups, social opportunities and community courses which she now uses regularly to keep connected.
“After hospitalisation, I felt isolated and disconnected… the program got me out of my house and reconnected me to the world outside.” Says Emma.
“The case manager is very kind, warm and well understands my needs”.
“I feel more confident, with the encouragement from the case manager I was able to go out and do stuff”.
(story has been de-identified)
Case study – Onkaparinga Dementia Friendly Alliance of S.A Inc.
The alliance works hard to reduce loneliness and isolation in people living with dementia and their carers. In 2022, there was an estimated 40,300 people living with dementia in South Australia.
The Alliance comprises a group of people living with dementia, their carers and other volunteers. The group meets fortnightly to share interesting, fun activities designed to enhance social interaction and emotional support.
“We are acutely aware that people living with dementia and their carers are at risk of becoming socially isolated as family and friends are either in denial or just don’t understand the condition. Very quickly their lifestyle can become restricted at a time when they really need a supportive community.
Our Alliance members try to fill that void with warmth, friendship and fun activities that all can enjoy.”
Uniting Communities loneliness data
Twice a year, Uniting Communities conducts surveys of the South Australian population to determine rates of loneliness and the age groups most affected.
View last months edition for a summary of our April 2023 data.
LibrariesSA: Firstival
LibrariesSA is running a festival to encourage South Australians to discover what’s happening in their local library. The festival runs for the month of July and includes over 350 activities such as virtual reality, movie nights, arts and craft and gardening tips.
Hanlie Erasmus, Associate Director Public Library Services at LibrariesSA said “Libraries are more than places to borrow books, they’re our communities’ living rooms,”
“They are places to come together and connect, to play and be creative, to enrich ourselves in lifelong learning” Ms Erasmus said.
Find out more about this event.
Australia
Social connection program – Swinburne University
Swinburne University’s social connection research program works to promote and measure social connection and its impact on people, community and innovation. Their current projects include ‘Auditing and Mapping Social Connection Infrastructure in Communities,’ and ‘Activating Social Connection to Address Isolation in Australia.’
Achieving Social Connection & Community Resilience: Joining the dots between policy, practice, research, and community
Swinburne University together with Australian Red Cross and Analysis and Policy Observatory (APO) recently ran a conference which explored up-to-date Australian evidence about citizens and social connection in growth areas. It also looked at positive strategies to tackle challenges of building social connection and resilience.
Key themes/takeaways from the conference:
Top-down approach vs bottom-up - both need to happen to reduce loneliness.
Research on social connection highlighted the importance of common ground in friendships and showed that some people had trouble following through and keeping their connections as opposed to making friends.
Navigating digital tools for social connection: digital technologies can be positive for example by allowing people to maintain relationships and engage with like-minded people with similar interests.
City of Casey Council in Victoria spoke about the importance of more green and open spaces. When developing their 10-year plan for the local area, residents shifted from previously being concerned about infrastructure like roads and instead wanted a sense of belonging and support to connect. Since the pandemic, the community recognises a need for social connection.
We need to shift from a consumerism mindset to a community mindset when developing local community groups by supporting locals to get involved.
Permission to connect? How people navigate connection-confusion in outer metro growth areas
Learn about some of the surprising patterns discovered in recent research in a new APO blog. A number of people talked about uncertainty and hesitation about what is acceptable when making connections. “Emery reflected on her efforts to make small-talk with local café and shop owners and to smile at neighbours, but asked – is this ok? Brenda says it’s important to know your neighbours, but agrees that people don’t invite people around.”
Read more
A national approach to loneliness – Australia and overseas
The organisation Healthy Male has created an article on a national approach to loneliness. The article highlights the work of Ending Loneliness Together in preparing a federal pre-budget submission that focuses on the need for a national strategy for loneliness.
Read more
Loneliness in the Aged Care Sector
On July 10, Friends for Good is running an online course for people working directly with older individuals or those involved in the management of services and programs targeted towards them. This training focuses on services and interventions for assisting older individuals experiencing loneliness.
International
Global loneliness awareness week (UK)
Global loneliness awareness week was between June 12 – 18. The campaign was initiated by UK company Marmalade Trust and receives attention all over the world. This year, the campaign encouraged everyone to harness daily moments of connection. Whether it’s your regular barista, the neighbour on your walk, or the shopkeeper down the road, everyday moments of connection matter. They allow us to feel happier and less lonely.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Tackle Nation's Mental Health Crisis (US)
In honor of Mental Health Day of Action, the Biden-Harris Administration announced numerous actions to tackle the nation’s mental health crisis and to improve social connection in the U.S.
These set of actions include prioritising support for populations at high-risk for social isolation and loneliness and highlighting the importance of connection, resiliency, and supportive environments.
Campaign to End Loneliness (UK)
Young people and loneliness: How digital communities foster local connection
This article explores the current impact of loneliness and isolation on young adults in the UK and whether some forms of digital technologies are an effective intervention.
Read more
Conversations to Connect
This podcast hosts conversations on loneliness and brings together experts to share insights, research and knowledge to inspire change and help people feel more connected.
Listen to their most recent podcast: Finding purpose following the death of a life partner.
Workplace loneliness
Campaign to End Loneliness explores the topic of workplace loneliness and the work they do to address loneliness in workplaces.
Far from Alone
In partnership with the Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness, Far from Alone hopes to increase the public’s awareness of the power of human connections to help address loneliness. They partner with a diverse group of stakeholders who advocate for policy change that creates greater opportunities for social connectedness.
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