Loneliness and Connected Communities

How can connected community policy interventions help ease social isolation in Wales?

The social wellbeing of the people and communities of Wales is a priority for Welsh Government and public services across Wales. The Covid-19 pandemic presented significant challenges for social inclusion, exacerbating inequalities in poor mental health, loneliness, and unwanted social isolation. However, it also showed the agility and innovation of communities to tackle social exclusion and improve wellbeing. The challenge for governments and public services at all levels going forward is how community activity can be sustained and enhanced for the benefit of all. The Loneliness and Connected Communities programme seeks to provide evidence on social disparities and inequalities in the experience of loneliness, as well as what works to improve social wellbeing through collaborative community action and the mobilisation of physical and digital infrastructure and resources.


 

Publications

Our published research on loneliness and connected communities provides vital information for policymakers and researchers.
Showing 9 to 16 of 18 results
Publications 27 May 2022
Infrastructure and longterm wellbeing
This commentary report accompanies a rapid review of evidence about how physical infrastructure influences long-term wellbeing, commissioned by the Welsh Government to help inform its...
Publications 13 October 2021
Stakeholders’ ideas for tackling loneliness in Wales through the pandemic and beyond
In July 2021, the Wales Centre for Public Policy worked in partnership with Kaleidoscope Health and Care to run a multifaceted engagement programme involving stakeholders working...
Publications 11 October 2021
Who is lonely in Wales?
This series of data insights on loneliness in Wales is based on bespoke analysis of the National Survey for Wales (NSW). It is designed to...

 

Projects

Our portfolio of projects creates knowledge and evidence around all aspects of loneliness and connected communities in Wales.
Showing 9 to 9 of 9 results
Projects
Connecting Communities: Building Relationships
The Wales Centre for Public Policy is partnering with Cardiff Council and Social Care Wales on a four-month National Institute for Health Research funded project...
Projects
Loneliness in Wales
Loneliness has a significant impact on public health and wellbeing, and has been a priority issue for Welsh Government and public services across Wales since...
Projects
Responding to citizens in debt to public services
This project aimed to find out how public services and their contracted partners in Wales might better respond to vulnerable debtors, especially those subject to...
Projects
Rural Poverty in Wales
The Welsh Government has identified Rural Poverty as a priority area for evidence, and our own preliminary analysis of existing research confirmed that there is...

Explore

We have a wealth of content covering all aspects of loneliness and connected communities in Wales.

 

Experts

Meet the Loneliness and Connected Communities team
Dr Hannah Durrant
Senior Research Fellow
Image of Dr Hannah Durrant
Rosie Havers
Research Assistant
Image of Rosie Havers
Josh Coles-Riley
Research Associate
Image of Josh Coles-Riley
Professor Dan Bristow
Director of Policy and Practice
Image of Professor Dan Bristow