RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Establishing Social Connections in Urban Areas: Evaluating a Community-based Programme

This study aims to discover if a new community programme can help young and working-age adults in London who feel lonely. Many loneliness programmes focus on older people, but younger adults can also struggle. The programme offers various social activities, community groups, and online spaces to encourage new friendships and connections. Researchers want to see if these activities are practical, enjoyable, and good value for money. Participants will spend 12 weeks either in the programme or on a waiting list, during which their feelings of loneliness will be assessed. This helps understand if the programme truly makes a difference and how it might be improved in the future.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Queen Mary University of London

Enrolment target

Start

12 Feb 2025

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2028

Loneliness

What is this study about?

Feeling lonely can affect anyone, but sometimes programmes designed to help focus mostly on older people. This study understands that young and working-age adults can also feel isolated, and it's important to find ways to help them too. That's why this research is testing a brand-new community programme in London, specifically designed for people aged 20 to 40 who experience loneliness.

The programme itself offers different ways for people to connect. This includes joining local community activities and events, taking part in online groups, and going to social gatherings that are either free or don't cost much. The main idea is to encourage social interactions and help people build new friendships and support networks within their community, which can make them feel less lonely.

The study will look at a few key things: first, is the programme actually easy for people to join and stay involved with? Second, do participants find it helpful and enjoyable? And finally, is it a cost-effective way to tackle loneliness? By answering these questions, researchers hope to show if this type of community support could be a good solution for more people in similar situations in the future.

Key takeaways

New study focusing on loneliness in young adults (20-40) in London.
Tests a community programme offering social activities and online connections.
Participation involves either joining the programme or being on a waiting list for 12 weeks.
Your involvement helps understand if the programme works and is good value.
You'll complete online forms over 18 weeks to track your feelings.
You can leave the study at any point without affecting your care.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for people who are between 20 and 40 years old and currently live in London. You should be someone who feels lonely sometimes or often, as this is what the programme aims to help with.

It's important that you haven't been involved with this specific community programme before, as the researchers want to see how effective it is for new participants. You also need to be able to speak and understand English well enough to take part in conversations and fill out questionnaires.

There are also some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you live outside London, are much younger than 20 or older than 40, or if you only rarely or never feel lonely. Also, if you have severe ongoing health issues that might make it too difficult to participate, or if you're already taking part in another study about loneliness, you wouldn't be able to join this one.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 20 and 40 years old?
Do you currently live in London, UK?
Do you feel lonely 'some of the time' or 'often'?
Have you *not* previously been involved with this specific community programme?
Can you communicate well in English for interviews and questionnaires?
Are you available for about 18 weeks to participate in the study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll first fill out some forms and answer questions online about how you're feeling. Then, you'll be randomly put into one of two groups: either the group that gets to try the community programme, or a waiting list group. Being 'randomly put' means it's like flipping a coin – it's completely down to chance which group you end up in.

Those in the community programme group will take part in various social activities over 12 weeks. These might include community initiatives, social events, or online interactions aimed at helping you connect with others. If you're in the waiting list group, you won't take part in the programme during this initial 12 weeks, but you can continue any usual support you might be getting, like seeing your GP or using mental health services.

Everyone in both groups will complete online questionnaires at three different times: when the study starts, after 12 weeks (when the programme ends), and then again 6 weeks later (18 weeks after the start). If you're in the community programme group, you might also be asked to have an extra chat around 6 weeks after the programme finishes, to talk about your experiences. The total time you'd be involved in the study, from start to final check-in, is about 18 weeks.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer some potential benefits. If you're in the community programme group, you might find new ways to connect with people and reduce feelings of loneliness through the various activities and events. Even if you're in the waiting list group, you'll be helping researchers understand more about loneliness and how to best help people in the future, which is a valuable contribution. However, there are no guarantees that the programme will definitely reduce your loneliness, and some people might find filling out questionnaires about their feelings challenging. You have the right to change your mind and withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without needing to explain why, and it won't affect any healthcare you receive.

Locations (2)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

In the community in London, England
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting
Youth Resilience Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Not yet recruiting

Common questions

What does 'randomly allocated' mean?

It means you'll be put into one of two groups by chance, like flipping a coin, so it's a fair process.

What if I'm put on the waiting list?

You won't take part in the new community programme during the study, but you can continue any other support you currently have, like seeing your doctor or mental health services.

How much time will I need to commit?

The study lasts for 18 weeks in total, with online questionnaires at the start, 12 weeks, and 18 weeks. If you're in the programme group, you'll have weekly activities for 12 weeks, and possibly one extra chat.

Will I have to pay to join any activities?

Many activities and events offered by the programme are free or low-cost, designed to be accessible to participants.

What if I feel worse during the study?

You are free to leave the study at any time if you don't feel comfortable or if you feel your well-being is affected, and your standard care won't change.

How to find out more

Jennifer Lau

j.lau@qmul.ac.uk 020 7882 3850 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.