Barriers to belonging – new research on loneliness among people from BAME backgrounds

The British Red Cross and Co-op have launched a new research report, Barriers to belonging: an exploration of loneliness among people from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds. This research, carried out in partnership with the Centre for Loneliness Studies at the University of Sheffield and the Runnymede Trust, found that when we feel like we belong, we feel less alone. People who feel valued, included, safe and able to join community activities are less likely to feel lonely. However, too many people from BAME backgrounds face multiple challenges to feeling like they belong and accessing support services. These include:

• Increased likelihood of discrimination, not feeling welcome and fear of stigma.
• Greater barriers to accessing help for loneliness and joining in community activities, including a lack of money, language barriers and not having enough free time.

They are making several recommendations for Government, local authorities, and organisations providing services to help people overcome loneliness and employers. To read these, and the report, in more detail, please click here.