Recording: Webinar | Placing Social Connection at the Heart of Public Policy

Date: 29th January 2025

Loneliness is a growing public health crisis with significant adverse impacts on health, quality of life, and even longevity. The impacts of loneliness on mortality are comparable to, or exceeds that of, other well-established risk factors, including smoking and physical inactivity. Addressing this complex issue requires urgent and coordinated action across borders, as cross-national learnings can offer important ideas and opportunities for how we might address the rising tide of loneliness worldwide.

This webinar was led by Dr Marlee Bower from The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, Australia, and she unpacked key findings from the groundbreaking report, The Future of Social Connection.

The publication captured the rich discussions from a roundtable at University College London, where 23 experts across psychiatry, psychology, social science, community advocacy, and policy came together to discuss the key drivers of loneliness and explore innovative, evidence-based strategies for strengthening social connection.

To download the report, click the following link: Placing Social Connection