Community Connections Forged to Combat Loneliness

20 July 2023

The simple act of starting a conversation to empower connections and reduce loneliness was highlighted during End Loneliness Day on July 12.

Sponsored by CQUniversity, End Loneliness Inc is an initiative to implement frameworks and strategies designed to help prevent loneliness, and events were held in Rockhampton, Emerald, Gladstone, Sydney and Melbourne, where university campuses, parklands, workplaces and community halls hosted morning teas for a ‘cuppa’ and conversation in efforts to reduce loneliness and improve the sense of connectivity within communities.

Stimulus through ‘Conversation Starters’ aimed to engage The Loneliness Project’s mantra of Empowering Connections – Ending Loneliness, resulting in many attendees forming new connections and where it was recognised that connectivity reduced loneliness and improved health and wellbeing.

CQUniversity Associate Vice President Rockhampton and Central Highlands Regions Kim Harrington said End Loneliness Day was about empowering connections and supporting individuals to understand the impact loneliness has on people.

“Research shows Australians aged from 18 to 25 years are the loneliest followed by seniors, but most Australians will experience loneliness in their lifetime – loneliness does not discriminate and impacts all ages,” Ms Harrington said.

“Reducing loneliness is a mammoth task and it is regarded as the world’s hardest problem to solve, and it’s an issue which has been around for decades, yet only in recent years has it been recognised as one of society’s greater challenges.

“Ultimately, we want to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and those around them. Significant benefits can be gained by reducing loneliness, including, but certainly not limited to, enhancing self-esteem, health, and people’s ability to function in society.

“Hosting an End Loneliness Morning Tea was an excellent way of bringing people together to connect over cupcakes and a cuppa, and we can all do our part to reduce loneliness in our communities, by starting a conversation, staying connected, supporting your neighbours and smiling – it can help you feel connected to others and help other people smile.”

End Loneliness Day is marked annually on the second Wednesday in July.