About Us
Our background and purpose
The Let’s End Loneliness website was developed by the New Zealand Coalition to End Loneliness. The Coalition was set up in 2018 by seven founding organisations who all work in different ways to bring people together, and to reach and support people who are feeling lonely and isolated. We formed the Coalition because we know that solving a social problem like loneliness cannot be done by one organisation alone. We are committed to working together to tackle loneliness and create communities in which New Zealanders have the relationships they need to thrive.
Our aims
The Coalition aims to:
- Grow understanding of loneliness and make it easier to talk about.
- Provide clear information about what we can all do to tackle loneliness.
- Advocate together to prompt action on loneliness at government level.
Read our Strategic Plan for 2021-22 here.
This Lets End Loneliness website is part of this plan. We encourage you to explore the site to learn about:
- What we can all do about loneliness for ourselves, in our whanau and communities, and in our workplaces.
- Research about loneliness, and about what works to address it.
- Our advocacy to government.
- How you can get involved.
Our members
The Coalition is growing all the time and is made up of our seven founding members plus other community and health provider organisations and researchers who are keen to be part of our mahi. These supporters are engaging with the Coalition in different ways: taking part in our stakeholder consultations; promoting the ‘Let’s End Loneliness’ website; developing resources or initiatives to create social connection; joining our working groups.
Our founding members
- Age Concern New Zealand
- Alzheimers New Zealand
- Carers New Zealand
- RNZRSA
- Salvation Army
- St John New Zealand
- Student Volunteer Army
Organisations that have joined the New Zealand Coalition to End Loneliness:
- Abbeyfield New Zealand
- Anglican Elder Care Project
- Anxiety New Zealand
- Chirpy Plus
- Communicare
- Driving Miss Daisy
- Duke of Edinburgh International Award
- Eldernet
- Enliven Elder Care Canterbury
- English Language Partners New Zealand
- Grandfriends NZ
- IHC New Zealand
- Joy for Generations
- Kaitiaki Services
- Neighbourhood Support NZ
- New Zealand Society of Diversional and Recreational Therapists
- New Zealand Speech-language Therapists Association
- Project Village
- Rural Women New Zealand
- Samaritans Wellington
- Shanti Niwas Charitable Trust
- Stroke Central New Zealand
- The Emotional Alchemy Academy
- Toa Pacific Incorporated
- Upper Hutt Menzshed
- Virtual Village East
- Voices of Hope
- Volunteering Bay of Plenty
- Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury
- Volunteering New Zealand
- Whitianga Social Services
Research supporters:
- Associate Professor Sarah Wright (University of Canterbury)
- Professor Vanessa Burholt (University of Auckland)
- Professor Christine Stephens (Massey University)
- Professor Valerie Wright-St Clair (AUT Centre for Active Ageing)
- Dr Lisa Williams (University of Auckland)
- Professor Merryn Gott (University of Auckland)
Together we can end loneliness one person, one community, one workplace at a time.
Join with us
As we work towards ending loneliness one person, one community, one workplace at a time.