You can help us beat loneliness for young people in your area
The issue
2020 has been a particularly challenging time for young people, and with no end to the pandemic in sight, the situation could have long-lasting and far-reaching effects for our younger generations.
According to recent research by the Mental Health Foundation, young people aged 18 to 24 are most likely to experience loneliness than other age groups.
Before March 2020, one in six (16%) said they felt lonely, but since lockdown, young people are almost three times more likely to have experienced loneliness, with almost half (44%) feeling this way.
So why is loneliness such a problem? Feeling lonely in itself isn’t a recognised mental health condition, but it is a contributing factor in poor mental health and can lead to more serious conditions like anxiety and depression.
Loneliness is quite often caused by something missing in someone’s life: healthy relationships, meaningful connections or not being properly cared-for.
As humans are social creatures, there is evidence we thrive when we are a valued part of a group; be that a family unit, friendship group or local community.
The need
The key to combatting loneliness are meaningful connections and a sense of belonging. People thrive the best when they are included and valued within a units such as a family, friendship group or club.
A lot of young people lack a safe space, where they can relax and be themselves. For some, lockdown was particularly difficult if home isn’t a safe or happy place. Being restricted in social activities and opportunities to get out of the house has contributed to a rise in loneliness, isolation and poor mental health in Britain’s young people. There has never been a more critical time to support young people. With school exams disrupted, lack of opportunities and rising unemployment, it’s hard for young people to feel positive about the future. Young people need both wellbeing support and careers guidance.
One YMCA youth services are a key part of the solution to tackle youth loneliness in local communities. Through group and one-to-one sessions, we offer support for young people who feel lonely. From providing safe spaces for young people to be themselves, to fostering a sense of belonging and providing opportunities to build positive relationships and skills – this support is vital.
One YMCA’s Youth Work
Our vision is a community where all young people can Belong, Contribute and Thrive. Belonging and contributing to the community you live in, are essential ingredients to beating loneliness. YMCA’s youth team work to create spaces and opportunities for young people, so that they can truly belong.
In order to introduce new young people to our services, our youth workers sometimes hold ‘signpost socials’, where anyone from the area is invited to join in, meet new people and chat to a youth worker if they want. It was at one of these signposting sessions three years ago that we first met Emily.
Emily was 22 at the time, and struggling with a few different issues. Due to a mixture of personal events and physical health conditions, her mental health had begun to suffer.
“When I first engaged with YMCA I was very shy and anxious.” She said, “I was struggling to find the career path I wanted to go down and struggling to find a friendship circle where I could truly be myself.”
Emily received one-to-one mentoring, to help her gain direction, and attended an employability course. She also attended a few YMCA trips, such as the YAMMA young people’s music festival, where she met lots of new people.
Since receiving mentoring, Emily has become a YMCA volunteer where she has helped design programmes and set up activities for young people. This experience has boosted her self-esteem and helped her realise she is very good at youth work and is even considering youth work as a career. Emily feels like a valued member of a team where her voice is heard and respected, which has made her realise her own potential.
Emily told us: “I think since I started volunteering, I am a new person. I’ve met a bunch of amazing people and have overcome my fears of new people and what they think of me. Volunteering with the YMCA has helped my confidence hugely. I’m now able to go into a new situation with my head held high which I couldn’t do before engaging with the YMCA.”
