Welcome to the Ukulele Project website. Not just for ukulele players, for anyone interested in ending loneliness and promoting wellbeing

loneliness

Our mission is to combat loneliness one ukulele at a time but what is loneliness exactly?
We all get lonely

Lets Talk Loneliness

It is only human to feel lonely. It does not discrimate, at some point in our lives we will feel lonely ie moving, starting a new job, becoming a parent, going through a divorce or bereavement. Having to socially distance. There are always things that you can do to feel better
Did you know as many as 49% of older people say that their television is a main form of company and that 1.9 million young people in the UK are often or always lonely?
There is still too much stigma associated with loneliness and isolation, but feeling lonely is nothing to be ashamed of. Research shows that only about a third of young people (37%) feel confident talking about loneliness while just half (53%) believe it’s a normal emotion for people their age.
By building a greater awareness and acceptance of loneliness, we can help ourselves and others to manage the feeling.
We need to continue finding ways to look out for one another. The more we talk about our experiences the easier it is for others to do the same.

In January 2018, following recommendations from the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, the UK Government announced a programme of work to tackle loneliness in England. The following October, the Government launched the world’s first Loneliness Strategy, which committed to tackling the stigma of loneliness and promoting the importance of social connections.

find out more about the governements campaign
Building Understanding

A Brief Guide to Loneliness

It can mean different things to different people but loneliness is generally a sense of isolation or disconnection from others, or a feeling we are lacking or missing social connections and companionship. It is possible to be in a room full of people and still feel lonely
Research shows that we can start to fall into a loneliness cycle....the more lonely we feel the more we isolate ourselves. Left unchecked, chronic or long term loneliness can develop into a mental health condition like anxiety or depression.

There are different types of loneliness

  • Emotional Loneliness when someone you are close with is no longer there or when we feel misunderstood or disconnected from our friends, family, co-workers

  • Social Loneliness when we don't see or speak to people or you feel you are lacking a wider social network of friends, neighbours or colleagues 
  • Situational Loneliness after a life event ie moving schools or starting a new job or just at certain times ie Sundays, on bank holidays or Christmas
  • Transient Loneliness a feeling that comes and go
  • Chronic loneliness when we feel a long term sense of internal loneliness, no matter what our circumstances. This may be worth exploring further with a counsellor or therapist 
Check out the Marmalade trust for more info
Things you can do

Are You Feeling Lonely?

Don't be embarassed to tell someone. It is okay to feel this way. Can you talk to a friend? family or a work colleague? If you have felt lonely for a long time and you feel that it is having an effect on your mental health make an appointment to see your GP

Go at your own pace. Think about small steps you can take daily to build connections back into your life. Identify your own needs.

Take Action. Even the smallest things like seeing the same faces on a regular basis, or saying hello to your neighbours will help you feel more anchored to a community. Joining a group around a shared hobby or interest is a great way to make new connections. If you’re already in a group, think about how you can make it easier for others to join

Need to talk to someone right now?
Sharing can help

Tell Your Story

Often when we are lonely we feel like we are the only one that feels that way. Telling stories is one way of connecting people and helping them to realise that they are not alone in feeling that way. Telling your own story on your own terms can enable people to develop their voice, to begin to understand and take some control of their experiences and emotions, and to develop confidence and improve their self-esteem.
Check out Lonelynotalone
Combating loneliness one ukulele at a time

Uke vs Loneliness

An extract from UKE Magazine, written by Heidi Swedberg

Andy Nazer, England’s campaign manager at The Campaign To End Loneliness, says, “The issue of loneliness is now recognised as a determinant for poor health, effecting people throughout the whole of their life course. It does not discriminate. It has never been more important to develop new ways to reignite – or in many cases introduce – a sense of passion, purpose and connection into people’s lives. Research has shown that new relationships develop faster and are stronger if they are founded on a shared experience. What better way to bring people together than through an accessible, inclusive initiative like this excellent one from The Ukulele Project.”

“There are numerous positive outcomes to be derived from the work of the UP” says Mr. Nazer, “expanding the mind through learning a new instrument, sharing, making music together are a couple of obvious outcomes but by far the most significant is that it is fun! And if something is fun – people will come, experience, enjoy, open their minds, lower some of the barriers that society has put in place that prevent us from making new connections and start to lay the foundations towards building new relationships. And it is the combination of these vital elements that will help build bridges between people, support them to reconnect with those around them and ultimately play a part in tackling the loneliness that is increasingly prevalent in our society today.”

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