paul mallett believes governments at all levels and the community must collaborate to tackle loneliness and seek to address the wide range of factors that contribute to disconnection and social isolation. paul calls for investment in the creation of communities of connection; communities which help us all to start, maintain and strengthen healthy social connections.

paul recognises that loneliness is a serious public health issue that defies simple solutions and quick fixes; it is a ‘wicked social issue’. For paul, ending loneliness is about the collective pursuit of a stronger culture, of better-connected people, with deeper bonds, greater resilience, and a deep abiding commitment to kindness and inclusion.

paul believes Launceston and the broader Tasmanian community can be a leader in tackling loneliness, and bring about more connected people and communities. In this way, paul believes we act locally while playing our part to support a more kind and connected world.

paul understands that 1 in 3 Australians feel lonely at any given time, and 1 in 4 Australians experience persistent loneliness. See Ending Loneliness Together website.

Approach

paul believes all tiers of government have a role in the support of strategies and initiatives to build community connection.

paul calls for the City of Launceston to co-design and deliver on a “Social Isolation and Loneliness Action Plan”. Building upon good current practice and references to social connection and reducing isolation in the City’s Strategic Plan 2025-2035 (People Pillar, and Theme 5: A Social, Inclusive, and Fair City), paul believes council can and should do more.

paul believes local government is the closest level of government to people’s everyday lives — parks, community facilities, local clubs, and events are all touch points between community and Council. That is, Council has the physical spaces, networks and trust to bring people together. paul believes the City of Launceston is well-placed to tackle social isolation upstream, by growing the number of ways it builds community connection through design and planning, additional community development, and local partnerships.

Ideas

paul advocates for continued community engagement to co-design a Social Isolation and Loneliness Action Plan, and fund activities, such as:

• Scale Council’s small grants & seed funding. Supporting more community groups, neighbour-led projects, multicultural associations to run local meet-ups, community dinners, or buddy systems.
• Support neighbourhood houses & community hubs. Invest in welcoming spaces where people can gather for informal activities — lunch clubs, men’s sheds, craft circles, fitness groups.
• Intergenerational programs. Building connections with schools, aged care, youth groups — shared gardens, digital literacy sessions, buddy reading programs.
• Volunteer and connector programs. Support the training of community ‘connectors’ to check in on isolated residents, run phone trees or visiting schemes.
• Low fee or no fee entry public events that encourage mingling. Street parties, festivals, cultural days — create low-barrier chances for neighbours to meet.
• Digital democracy and authentic listening. Run surveys or co-design workshops with people at risk of loneliness to find out what really works locally.

Reflection

The vibrant stories section of vibrant nation website will seek to document some of the voices of Tasmanian’s with lived experience of loneliness. In publishing these stories, paul seeks to amplify the voices of those experiencing loneliness and social isolation. paul’s goal is to contribute policies and initiatives grounded in lived experience, and reduce stigma.

This one is deeply personal for paul. See his auto-biographical post on his experience of loneliness.