WHO report: From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies
The World Health Organisation Commission on Social Connection has published a landmark report highlighting that social isolation and loneliness are widespread, with serious but under-recognized impacts on health, well-being, and society. Drawing on the latest evidence, the report makes a compelling case for urgent action. It outlines practical, scalable solutions to strengthen social connection – and calls on policy-makers, researchers and all sectors to treat social health with the same urgency as physical and mental health. The Commissioners envision a future where stronger social bonds improve well-being, reduce preventable deaths, boost education and economic resilience, and ease the social and financial burden of disconnection. This report is a call to act – and an invitation to build a more connected, healthier world.
You can download the report from the commission’s website: From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies – Report of the WHO Commission on Social Connection.
The FaithAction report on loneliness and the impact faith can have in tackling this important issue, Right Up Your Street: How faith-based organisations are tackling loneliness and Extending Our Reach in Tacking Loneliness highlights just some of the ways in which faith groups are working to tackle loneliness and isolation, working to provide places where people can feel they belong. It calls for more links between faith groups and other organisations as part of a national drive to end loneliness.Through the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, FaithAction also produced the 2023 report Inclusive social prescribing: Learning from engagement with grassroots VCFSE organisations. It finds that, with the wealth of activities and support services offered by faith groups there is immense potential for the faith sector to support and strengthen social prescribing, to overcome some of the barriers to access within at risk communities.
