Informal Expert Meeting

The objectives of the informal expert meeting were to:

a) Inform the European Commission’s work on loneliness

b) Exchange and share knowledge on loneliness interventions and what works to tackle loneliness among researchers, NGOs and policy makers

c) Build a network of intervention experts

Several key lessons and recommendations were drawn from the meeting:

• First, based on a recent meta-analysis, presented in the meeting, loneliness interventions are effective although it is not possible to identify a specific intervention with a large effect on loneliness reduction. In other words, there is no “one size fits all” solution to loneliness. Further research with solid methodological quality and larger number of participants is needed to deepen the understanding on what works to prevent and mitigate loneliness in different contexts.
• Second, several good examples of loneliness interventions across the EU already exist, as presented in the meeting, which can provide important lessons learnt for others in the field both from the intervention design and evaluation point of view. Finally, the meeting put an emphasis on collaboration and dialogue between researchers and practitioners as a key way to develop effective solutions to tackle loneliness and to transfer the current attention into more knowledge that will benefit all.

Meeting report

 

Slides

Joan R. Riera, Barcelona City Council

 

Maria Lähteenmäki, Tuuli Albekoglu, HelsinkiMissio

 

Jolanda van Gerwe, Join Us Foundation

 

Mathias Lasgaard, DEFACTUM, Central Denmark Region

 

Jannis Kuhlencord, Rahel Herczeg, Togetherness Hub