Did you know that one in three Australians report that they experience loneliness? The World Health Organisation has declared loneliness and social isolation as a global health epidemic.  Studies have compared chronic loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, it can have the same health impacts as obesity, as well as an increased risk of depression and cognitive decline.   Loneliness is an indicator of our social health, which is strongly linked to our physical and mental health.

Loneliness is the feeling we experience when our social and connection needs are not being met. It is subjective, meaning it is different for everyone – you can feel lonely in a room full of people or content with just a few social connections. Loneliness is extremely common and most people will experience it at some point in their lifetime, however stigma surrounding loneliness prevents people from seeking support.

Research evidence from the World Health Organisation has identified four main strategies for reducing loneliness: Improving social skills, providing social support, increasing opportunities for social interaction, and changing social cognitions – the way we think about loneliness. At a community level, there is evidence for group activities, neighbourhood approaches and volunteering. At a societal level, there is evidence supporting strong public health policy that promotes social cohesion and inclusion.

There is no one experience of loneliness nor one definition of loneliness nor one solution to loneliness, so addressing this growing challenge requires a whole-of-community approach. There are several things we can do! We can raise awareness and inspire action, we can lessen the stigma for those experiencing loneliness, we can reach out to others in our communities, and we can empower and support communities to help build and maintain social connections.

Spark evolved from an academic community co-design collaboration between the University of South Australia and The Hut Community Centre in the Adelaide Hills called ‘The Loneliness Project’ which was funded by the Women’s Health Research Translation and Impact Network.  Together with academics, community development professionals and community members we were tasked with creating new and innovative solutions to address loneliness.  In 2024 we completed two co-design projects (one with mid-life women and one with men) as well as conducting online surveys and interviews.  More than 120 people contributed their lived experience, perspectives and ideas which became the Spark Activations and Sparkies Volunteer Program.  The co-design process values professional and lived experience equally in decision-making. It allows us all to slow down, listen, connect and learn, before rushing to solutions.  Community-led initiatives are more effective when the community are genuinely part of their creation, and what we see through the process is an abundance of experience, ideas and energy for change!   

Spark is a community-led model which is underpinned by evidence and research.  Spark collaborates with community partners such as community centres and councils to strengthen community capacity.  Spark activations utilise existing community infrastructure and are designed for sustainability.  At the heart of Spark is a strategy to strengthen the roles of volunteers to create belonging in their communities – our wonderful Sparkies!  Sparkies act as our ‘citizen scientists’ and help us to collect quantitative and qualitative information so that we can measure impact and use our research findings to inform systemic change and policy.  Spark is committed to creating evidence-based community-led solutions to address this important global challenge which affects all communities, and to shine a light on loneliness as a shared human experience.