Social isolation, loneliness and volunteering
What is the issue and what are the causes?
One in twelve Londoners experience severe loneliness, according to a report published in 2022 (Fitzpatrick, N. (2022). Reconceptualising Loneliness in London. Campaign to End Loneliness, United Kingdom), and based on data that was gathered before the covid-19 pandemic. That is approximately 700,000 people, and this figure is almost certain to have risen as a result of pandemic lockdowns and prolonged social distancing measures. The report identifies five key factors that are associated with severe loneliness, and which help to explain why Londoners seem to be more at risk of loneliness than the rest of the UK:
- Being acutely poor
- Being single or living alone
- Being deaf or disabled
- Being new to London or experiencing life changes
- Feeling different or experiencing prejudice
All of these factors except ‘Being deaf or disabled’ are more likely to apply to London residents than the rest of the UK. However, there is great variation within the groups most affected by these factors, and their impact on vulnerable groups can be greatly reduced by:
- Increasing social connectedness
- Fostering a sense of belonging
The Wandsworth JSNA (2021) reported that ‘Wandsworth’s proportion of adult social care users who have as much social contact as they would like was 40.6%, the 15th highest rate in London, which was 6.5% lower than the England average and 1.2% higher than the London average’. Wandsworth’s latest percentage of adult carers who have as much social contact as they would like was 11.1%, the lowest rate in London, 67.8% lower than the England average and 67.6% lower than the London average.
A report commissioned by Wandsworth Borough Council and published in 2022, found that ‘neighbourhood identification’ provides considerable protection against loneliness, depression and anxiety in Wandsworth residents, echoing the ‘sense of belonging’ protection described in the London-wide survey (Jaspal, R., & Breakwell, G. M. (2022). Socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 68(1), 155-165).
How can volunteering increase social connectedness and foster a sense of belonging?
Volunteering, particularly for a local charity or organisation, is likely to protect against social isolation and loneliness because the volunteer is:
- Engaging in activities with other people for a shared purpose, which makes it easier to establish new friendships and social connections
- Gaining skills and social confidence that enable further social interaction and/or job opportunities
- Doing things that directly benefit local people, thus contributing to the community or neighbourhood, and increasing a sense of belonging in that community.
More about volunteering in Wandsworth
Wandsworth Care Alliance has a volunteering service to connect people that want to volunteer with organisations that are looking for volunteers: Volunteering Wandsworth it is easy to sign up and to post or look for volunteer opportunities in Wandsworth.
This Wednesday, 7 June, WCA will host the Voluntary Sector Forum at Balham Library. The forum is for people who work in the voluntary sector in Wandsworth and the June forum will have a focus on volunteering and celebrating volunteers week. More information and to book your free tickets, go here: Voluntary Sector Forum
If you would like to volunteer with Healthwatch Wandsworth. We are looking for local people to help us improve local health and care services for the residents of Wandsworth and we are particularly interested in hearing from younger people.
Our volunteers are out in the community everyday listening to people to find out what they think about health and care.
Whether you want to gain valuable work experience, help improve care in your community or learn new skills, there are lots of ways you can join us to make a real difference whether you have just a little time to give, or a lot.
Our volunteers support us in many different ways. From speaking to local people to find out what they think about health and care, to using these views to influence those who run services, volunteers play an important role at Healthwatch Wandsworth.
“Whilst volunteering, I have enjoyed being able to put a spotlight on what works well and gathering the views of a wide range of service users, as well as working alongside a kind, dedicated and compassionate team.
Volunteering at Healthwatch Wandsworth has provided me with the opportunity to further develop my research and analytical skills, and I would not have got the job opportunities I have, if it were not for this opportunity, and for that I am forever grateful." – J.
The support from the Healthwatch manager has been excellent and very important for getting the project done.’ For those thinking of becoming a volunteer, it is a rewarding experience.
Healthwatch respects its volunteers and ‘does not ask more of them than they can give.’ There are lots of different roles, from being part of the E&V team, which works quite intensively on a project, to doing background research and being part of the outreach work. -S.T.
More information here:
