Why we're supporting Loneliness Awareness Week
Cheryl Spruce, Head of Membership and Community Engagement, Neighbourhood Watch
You may be wondering why Neighbourhood Watch is supporting Loneliness Awareness Week. Some people believe that crime reduction is primarily about security and law enforcement. But there's compelling evidence that stronger communities are also safer communities. And people who feel lonely are often more exposed to exploitation and crime.
For us at Neighbourhood Watch, community building and crime reduction are two sides of the same coin. Professional scammers are highly skilled at identifying and cultivating relationships with vulnerable people. Lonely people also have fewer opportunities to discuss finances with trusted friends or family, and to explore whether an offer or relationship is genuine.
Not only can loneliness increase your susceptibility to exploitation, scams, and victimisation, but being highly worried about crime is also associated with loneliness. Feeling fearful and anxious can prevent people from going out or speaking to their neighbours. It stops people from building the kinds of connections that provide a safety net.
Strong social networks and community connections provide a buffer against crime, helping residents cope with difficult situations and build resilience.
It's widely known that loneliness affects many older people, but there's less awareness that significant numbers of young people also suffer from feelings of isolation. And social isolation and loneliness can be key factors in making young people more vulnerable to abuse or exploitation.
So what can communities do to help?
Groups like Neighbourhood Watch are perfectly placed to support people. Proximity matters, as does consistency – a collection of smaller actions can be more impactful than bigger, more formal interventions. The Loneliness Awareness campaign calls these micro connections. You might not know people well, or even know their names, but small talk, saying hello, and smiling at people can have a significant effect on our happiness and sense of belonging.
We shouldn't need to be told this – it's not a new idea, it's good manners. It's essentially what being neighbourly means. Our volunteer award winners show that there are always people who will go above and beyond.
Take the amazing Samantha Pritchard, who works full-time and has a young son, yet has transformed lives in her community. She set up Halton Neighbourhood Watch, which meets regularly with the main aims of tackling loneliness and litter. She inspired children to write personalised cards to isolated residents and then organised an event to bring the children and card recipients together.
Or consider Lyn Doll, one of our fabulous coordinators in Humberside. She helps people who are ill by offering lifts to and from hospital appointments and checking up on them regularly. Then there's Louis Johnson, one of our young volunteers. Even after major surgery, he immediately went out to cut his elderly neighbours' gardens.
Small acts add up – not just to create a nicer community environment, but to help people feel safer in their homes.
Find out more about Loneliness Awareness Week. And if you know a brilliant volunteer making a difference in your community, nominations for the Volunteer Recognition Awards are open until 3 July.