Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Youth Loneliness Conference at the Royal Danish Embassy in London, hosted by the Ambassador. I am Joshua Brown-Smith, a youth worker apprentice working in the City of London, and I attended this inspiring event which brought together key partners and stakeholders to discuss how we can collectively tackle youth loneliness, a pressing issue that affects so many young people.
One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was the chance to hear two different perspectives—how Britain and Denmark are addressing youth loneliness. It was insightful to learn about the approaches being taken in both countries, the challenges they face, and the solutions they are implementing to support young people in building meaningful connections.
A particular highlight for me was the discussion around the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Youth Strategy and how youth loneliness fits into it. Understanding how government strategy is shaping efforts to combat loneliness and promote youth wellbeing was incredibly encouraging, especially as we continue to push for policies that put young people at the centre.
From an academic perspective, it’s clear that youth loneliness is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. Research highlights the long-term impact loneliness can have on mental health, employment opportunities, and overall life satisfaction. While there are initiatives in place, as a country and society, we still have a long way to go in addressing this issue effectively.
Most importantly, we must avoid working in silos. To create a truly sustained and impactful approach, we need to align our efforts, share best practices, and build a more connected support system for young people. By joining forces across sectors and ensuring our strategies complement one another, we can create lasting change and better address the root causes of youth loneliness.
The conference was an important space for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and inspiration. Addressing youth loneliness requires a collective effort, and events like these reinforce the need for cross-sector partnerships and youth-led solutions. I'm looking forward to seeing how these discussions translate into action and how we can continue to work together to ensure that no young person feels alone.
by Joshua
Yesterday, along with Joshua, I attended a Youth Loneliness Conference at the Danish Embassy in London. The conference brought together researchers, experts, and frontline workers to discuss how to tackle loneliness.
Throughout the event, it was evident that while youth loneliness is being addressed in similar ways, different approaches are more effective in different communities and cultures.
A highlight for me was hearing from Ventilen, a Danish voluntary social youth organisation focused on alleviating youth loneliness. Their approach was particularly interesting, especially as it is a voluntary organisation and operates on a peer-to-peer basis.
Pamela Qualter, a researcher from the University of Manchester, spoke about the mixed findings in the literature regarding whether loneliness among young people has increased. One reason for these mixed findings is the destigmatisation of loneliness.
By Aspen
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