During the pandemic the issue of loneliness has become more prevalent. Loneliness does not discriminate against age, race or gender, it does not care where you are and what you have done. Loneliness impacts people’s mental health and the only cure are people.
How do we fix it? For me there are five ways that we can look to address the problem.
1. Community Contacts
Community contacts work with individuals to match their interests with groups and organisations in the area. At the first meeting, interests, challenges and opportunities are discussed. The community contact takes this away to then research and identify opportunities for the individual to present. At the follow up meeting ideas are presented and can cover many topics from gardening to cinema, music to exercise, book clubs and walking clubs. The idea would be to present five different options so that the individual can then try tasters and decide what they want to do. For each of the options where they are group activities a buddy will be assigned to the individual so they do not feel alone when going for the visit time to an event.
2. Technology Champions
One of the greatest ways to reduce loneliness is to bring the world to the individual and this is especially important when the individual is not mobile. Technology champions would visit and work with the individual to initially identify their technology needs. Once this is done they then devise a programme to demonstrate and assist the individual with their technology needs this can be from zoom meetings, to face time as well as how to text/ WhatsApp.
3. Buddy Groups
For some people, they simply want to meet and talk and the set up of buddy groups that change on a six monthly basis will assist with this. These can meet in local coffee shops, libraries or in a park and the idea is that it is a chance for people to meet in the area. Topics are texted to get the conversation started and time limit set so that people do not feel that they have to stay, although they can if they wish to! The six monthly time frame means that the groups are kept fresh although people will obviously be able to keep in touch. There will be an element of commitment to ensure that people come and try to meet.
4. Mentoring
Mentoring is a great way for 1-2-1 support and growth. This can be done older to younger or reverse mentoring where a younger person mentors an older person with an opportunity for ideas and experiences to be exchanged. There would be two ways for mentors and mentees to meet. Firstly, the mentors and mentees complete forms setting out interests and what they are looking for. They then can meet with the understanding that both must be comfortable with the set up. The second way would be through a speed meeting set up, where people meet, ask questions and choose mentors.
5. Community Programmes
These would support all of the above ways and could also be opportunities for people to reskill as well. Using local facilities, the programmes could be focused on interests as well as providing educational opportunities as well. There could be sponsored training programmes allowing individuals to learn about different opportunities so that they can be employed as necessary.
There would also be virtual events, such as film nights, concerts as well as online discussion groups for this who are less mobile.
Financing
This would be raised through local community sponsorship and business support with opportunities to sponsor specific programmes. Grants from the lottery as well as charities would assist with the provision.
This programme would be community led to give people then sense of belonging, so they know they are not alone.
1823-11