Community learning has an increasingly important role to play in tackling issues of loneliness.

A 2023 Meta-Gallup survey found that nearly one in four adults across the world have reported feeling very or fairly lonely. The survey, which was taken across 142 countries, found 24% of people aged 15 and older self-reported feeling very or fairly lonely in response to the question, “How lonely do you feel?”

The survey also found that the rates of loneliness were highest in young adults, with 27% of young adults aged 19 to 29 reporting feeling very or fairly lonely. The lowest rates were found in older adults. Only 17% of people aged 65 and older reported feeling lonely.

Five years ago in 2018, the UK Government appointed a Minister for Loneliness whose work would tackle “the sad reality of modern life” and noted that “countries around the world are increasingly examining loneliness – typically defined as the feeling of lacking or losing companionship – as a public health concern.” The Japanese Government followed soon after with their own ministry to address this issue. And, in mid-November 2023, the World Health Organisation launched the Commission on Social Connection – the first global initiative to tackle what they call the “epidemic of loneliness.” Loneliness is not a new phenomenon, and we can probably safely say it’s been around for eternity, but acknowledgement of the condition from both health and social perspectives is gaining more momentum.

Research has found that those people who are lonely are 40% more likely to be diabetic,13% more likely to smoke, 20% more likely to be less physically active, and 31% more likely to have high cholesterol.

In a recent article, Carl Davidson, a director at Christchurch-based Research First, posed a series of questions, with the answers providing a personal insight into issues of loneliness:

• How many people do you have in your life who would drop everything to come to your assistance in a time of need?
• Do you find it easier or harder to make close friends than you once did?

Research First runs a Te Mauri O Ōtautahi (Pulse of Christchurch) research project each year to measure the sentiment of residents across Greater Christchurch.

“This project began years ago as a way to track the city’s recovery from the earthquakes but has long since morphed into a unique insight about the mood of the city. There is always plenty of good news in these projects, with most residents seeing Christchurch as a special place to live, work and play.”

Carl says the most recent survey shows considerably more optimism among the populace and more confidence that the city is headed in the right direction. “But none of that should obscure the fact that many residents across the city don’t share that optimism and/or feel left behind. I’m thinking here of those whose social capital is impoverished or even destitute.”

The Research First survey showed that one in five residents said they had no one in their lives they felt comfortable talking to about significant personal problems, and more than half (55%) said they found it harder to make good friends than they once did.

There is no doubting that loneliness and social isolation were exacerbated by the COVID pandemic, but there is a range of other factors that come into play including our physical surroundings, usually dictated by urban planning, remote work, which makes it harder to form meaningful connections with colleagues, and increased social media use, which can increase feelings of loneliness.

While addressing loneliness is not a key driver for the work of the ACE sector, it is most certainly one of the specific benefits we can provide. Adult learning provides opportunities to enhance connections in a supportive, respectful and collaborative environment where people are gathered because of a shared interest or pursuit.