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
The Loneliness Project
The Hut Community Centre is working together with researchers from the University of South Australia to gather input into how to shape community centres into the future, to help increase social connections -especially among women in midlife.
If you are a woman living in the Adelaide Hills and over the age of 40, they would love for you to get involved.
You don’t have to be experiencing loneliness to have a unique perspective and some great ideas!
There is an online Survey, one-on-one Interviews and/or Co-design Workshops.
Campbelltown City Council – new discussion paper
A new discussion paper by the Campbelltown City Council on Housing options for Older People, highlights the link between homes and reducing loneliness and isolation.
The paper argues that good homes connect us to others and to our community and are critical to reducing loneliness and isolation.
Council staff who had conversations with people at Neighbourhood BBQ’s found out that knowing your neighbours increases sense of connection and feeling safe.
Volunteer roles in SA
Lutheran Care is looking for more volunteers for their Volunteer Visitor program to provide friendship and conversation to socially isolated elderly individuals to help connect, share and celebrate life experiences. Get in contact if you can get involved
The Australian Red Cross is looking for volunteers for their Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS). Volunteers make regular social visits and provide companionship and friendship to residents of aged care facilities or older people living in their own homes.
Australia
Community Companions - Phone Support Volunteer
Open Support is looking for more volunteers in their Social Isolation volunteer program which aims to reduce the impact of social isolation by providing opportunities for connection and companionship through phone support to people experiencing social isolation and/or loneliness in the community.
If you have an hour or more each fortnight to help reduce social isolation in the community, get in touch!
Intergenerational connections
A Gold Coast mum seeking connection was overwhelmed by the response she received after reaching out to her local community seeking to ‘adopt a grandparent.’
Nina’s family lived far away and she found herself experiencing loneliness since becoming a parent.
Christine accepted the role of becoming a grandmother figure to baby Millie.
“Parkside strolls and play dates have a weekly spot in the calendar as a chance to share advice and important milestones.”
A message from Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue is encouraging people to talk about their experiences with loneliness to reduce both the mental load and harmful stigma in the community highlighting that:
💙 31% of people are ashamed to feel lonely.
💙 49% of people describe people who are lonely as ‘having negative traits.’
💙 58% of people refuse to talk to others about feeling lonely.
International
National Youth Mental Health and Loneliness Conference (UK)
The UKs first ever National Youth Mental Health and Loneliness conference is happening on 4 June 2024.
It will bring together professionals to champion youth mental health and combat loneliness.
Better Block – Creating Connections – a design competition (US)
US organisation, Better Block, has created a competition for designers, artists, architects, and innovators to explore the profound impact of design on how people connect with others, the universe, and themselves in today's world.
The challenge is to create a public infrastructure piece that reimagines public spaces as catalysts for creating moments of connection, empathy, and shared experiences.
Bistro piloting chatty table for lonely customers (UK)
A cafe in Calne has introduced a "chatty table" to help combat loneliness in the community.
Owner Fay Stallen said she wanted to tackle loneliness and social isolation which "can be at its height in the winter months".
The designated space is somewhere customers of all ages can get together, meet new people and talk.
Building connections (UK)
Building Connections is empowering young people to find a way through loneliness.
The online service supports young people up to the age of 19 to develop the tools that can help them build their confidence and better equip them to manage loneliness.
Young people work with a trained befriender, who guides them and champions them each step of the way.
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