Loneliness map
The Loneliness Map is a powerful workshop tool to help people to reflect on their own experiences of loneliness.
All of us have experienced loneliness, and by approaching the issue through our own personal stories, we build empathy and facilitate more meaningful conversations together.
Suggested workshop format:
Everyone spends 15 mins plotting their own experiences of loneliness and connection onto their map. It’s useful to mark significant life events on the map e.g. leaving home, starting work, beginning a new relationship. Draw a line between the events to show how loneliness and connection has changed over time. You can either plot this for an entire lifetime, or a significant period of time e.g. throughout university, or the pandemic.
Share your maps in pairs. Use active listening skills to take it in turn to talk about your experiences. For example, person A speaks for 5 minutes, uninterrupted, then person B speaks for 5 minutes, uninterrupted.
Come back together as a group and discuss common themes and insights.
We believe in sharing our resources openly, and we’d love to stay connected and hear how they have been useful to you. If you aren’t already subscribed to the Loneliness Lab, you can do so here. If you have any feedback, please email us at hello@lonelinesslab.org
