Feeling lonely or isolated can have a negative impact on your mental health - especially if these feelings go on for a long time. So it's really important that we all work together to help tackle it.
Visit the Derbyshire Emotional Health and Wellbeing Website.
The Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service is a freephone service available to everyone living in Derbyshire, both young people and adults. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, tel: 0800 028 0077 for support over the phone.
View the Rethink Mental Health Support map for Derbyshire.
Let's Chat
Over 700 bench signs, 2,000 support signs and 5,000 indoor resources have been given out to encourage conversations to tackle social isolation and to provide mental health support information via a QR Code.
Signs are still available to order. Contact us to find out more, email letschat@derbyshire.gov.uk.
Support our Let's Chat Derbyshire campaign by getting out and visiting benches across the county. View a map of Let's Chat benches across Derbyshire.
Reasons people get lonely
Sometimes certain life events may mean that you can feel lonely or isolated, these may include:
There are lots of groups and projects across Derbyshire that are helping to tackle loneliness and improve social connections. Why not find out more about what is happening in your local area by selecting from the following list.
Amber Valley
Bolsover
Chesterfield
Derbyshire Dales
Erewash
High Peak
North East Derbyshire
South Derbyshire
Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust
Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust support young people to achieve their full potential and thrive within their communities.
Derbyshire wide
Mind's Enjoying Derbyshire Project is their community wellbeing programme that offers a varied menu of community based activities, groups, and courses in Derby and Derbyshire.
Derbyshire Befriending is a network of organisations that offer services and activities which help to reduce and prevent loneliness and isolation for people living in Derbyshire. Some are larger organisations which offer different sorts of services across a wide area, some are smaller volunteer run groups which work in particular areas such as a local parish, and some are specialist organisations that work with particular groups of people such as women who are deaf, people with eating disorders, or autistic people. If you want to find a suitable service for yourself, a friend, relative, or client, or would like to find out how you can become involved through volunteering, you can find out more from Derbyshire Befriending, email: befriending@sdcvs.org or tel: 01283 219761.
Derventio's employability programmeswill open up opportunities for training, volunteering and employment to suit you.
Befriending services
Befriending services offer social interactions for people who find themselves isolated for any reason.
Join a class
Why not consider joining a group or class or taking up a new hobby? There's a wide range of different options on offer and you're bound to find one that appeals to you. You might even think about taking up an adult education class.
Sometimes a change of scene might be what you need to meet new people. You could also consider visiting other places where you can just be around other people - for example, a park, the cinema or a café. The Let's Chat map has locations of cafés which support and have resource for our campaign.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing
Why not give the 5 ways to wellbeing a go? These are simple, everyday lifestyle changes to help you feel more in control and able to cope.
Volunteer
If you have time to spare and would like to help out in your local community then volunteering is a great way to meet other people. You can search for local groups who are looking for volunteers.
Get help to identify what your skills and interests are as a volunteer from a local volunteer centre.
Online support
You can also get support and help online from a wide variety of places. We've listed a few organisations to get you started.
Mind explains loneliness, including the causes of loneliness and how it relates to mental health, practical tips to help manage feelings of loneliness, and other places you can go for support.
The NHS has a list of things you can try to help with loneliness, including a mood self assessment.
The Campaign to end Loneliness believe that people of all ages need connections that matter. They share research, evidence and knowledge with thousands of other organisations and the public to make a difference to people's lives.
Mental Health Foundation have tips and advice to help you cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation. Written with care, for you, by young people.
The Silver Line is a free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can call them on tel: 0800 470 80 90.
Age UK Derby and Derbyshire Befriending Service provides social support and companionship to people living in the community who are isolated, vulnerable or lonely.