Introduction

When the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality in March 2020, many of us felt at a loss and alone. But after only a couple of days, people began to extend helping hands. The young and healthy did food shopping for elderly or sick neighbours, and most people learned how to use Zoom and to make video calls using their mobile phones. Despite the physical distance, there was a genuine desire to create a sense of affinity with fellow human beings. To make sure that no one was left out or forgotten.

In addition to the efforts of ordinary citizens, countless organisations, government agencies, municipalities, associations and projects did their best to counter the involuntary social isolation to which many people were subjected during the pandemic. There was a lot of learning by doing and rapid transitions to digital channels – or other innovative ways to reduce involuntary loneliness.

This report, which features learning examples from the Nordic region, is a complement to the research overview The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness and social isolation - A Nordic research review, which is written by Marja Aartsen. The goal is to broaden the depiction of the social isolation caused by the pandemic and show some examples of what was done to alleviate loneliness.

The report is based on journalistic interviews about five different measures, one from each Nordic country. The selection was made based on advice from the project’s reference group and from various experts in the Nordic Welfare Centre’s networks. The examples chosen are intentionally very different – the idea is to show that there are many ways to tackle social isolation and loneliness during a pandemic. Some projects were under way even before the pandemic, but their importance increased when we were instructed to maintain physical distance from our fellow human beings.

What all five projects have in common is that there is a genuine desire to prevent and alleviate loneliness among the target group in question. Previous experiences and knowledge have been linked to the challenging conditions that prevailed during the pandemic – with the aim of enabling employment programmes, assistance and support for those who need it.

As most measures so far lack research and evidence on how effectively they have alleviated involuntary social isolation, I applied a typology that is commonly used at the Nordic Welfare Centre when presenting promising initiatives in the social sector. The purpose is to be transparent and systematic when presenting the initiative. The typology has been developed and modified from a tool that was introduced by VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research (formerly SFI – Det Nationale forskningscenter for Velfærd) and Socialstyrelsen in Denmark. The typology I used here and more information may be found in an appendix to the report.

The hope is that the examples in the report will be available for reference in the event of a future pandemic or another similar situation in which people are exposed to involuntary loneliness. At best, the lessons that the pandemic has forced us to learn can result in lasting insights into how we can ensure that fewer and fewer people find themselves facing involuntary loneliness and social isolation. The hope is that good experiences from across the Nordic region can be implemented in neighbouring countries. Whether or not there is a pandemic under way.