The Question:
How are Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Lack of Connection Impacting Rutland County?
Take our Social Connection Survey!
Available September 1st through October 31st!
YOUR VOICE MATTERS TO US!
Help shape how we intentionally grow meaningful connection together, as a community! Share your experiences with connection as a resident of Rutland County and stand with us to break down the barriers that are preventing people from feeling seen and valued.
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LET'S UNDO ALONENESS TOGETHER SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.
Our Social Connection Data Project
Our Social Connection Data Project focuses on discovering baseline information on how meaningfully connected people feel across Rutland County. We've started by pulling together existing data to create a landscape analysis, reviewing the various impacts that typically stem from lack of connection and looking at them through the lens of social isolation and loneliness. This fall as we finalize that analysis, we're launching a Social Connection Survey that will directly ask residents across Rutland County about their real social experiences, any barriers they may be encountering, and what they want to do about it all.
We have global research and statistics on social connection, isolation, and loneliness. Combining that with our hyperlocal survey results and landscape analysis will help us to determine just how much these root cause issues are impacting our ability to thrive in Rutland County. Our final results will enable our Rutland Belonging Collective to prioritize projects based on our own resident's knowledge and experiences, reducing barriers, and intentionally and sustainably growing meaningful connection together.
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Our project includes:​
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Review of national research around social isolation and loneliness and identify a clear list of indicators or consequences that result from social isolation and loneliness or a lack of connection.
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Compile existing data from Rutland County that is associated with the identified indicators.
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Work with local partners and disseminate social connection survey to fill in any gaps in the data.
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Review all compiled Rutland County data to identify correlations.
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Generate a report of findings and share with our community.
This landscape analysis is one more step towards reducing and healing loneliness and isolation in Rutland County. We hope this project could be replicated across the state of Vermont to ultimately provide data for the entire state. This is groundbreaking work as we believe it is the first County-wide Social Connection data collection project in the nation.
“The latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) finds that, early in 2024, 30% of adults say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, while 10% say they are lonely every day. Younger people were more likely to experience these feelings, with 30% of Americans aged 18-34 saying they were lonely every day or several times a week, and single adults are nearly twice as likely as married adults to say they have been lonely on a weekly basis over the past year (39% vs. 22%).”
Why does this matter?
Lack of Social Connection leads to Social Isolation and Loneliness
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Long-term social Isolation and loneliness lead to many negative impacts on individuals, family, and communities.
INDIVIDUAL IMPACTS
Higher Risks of:
Higher likelihood of addiction
Anxiety
Depression
Heart Disease
Stroke
Dementia
Early Mortality
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Beyond physical and mental health:
Impacts on educational success
Reduced ability to sustain employment and financial stability
Reduced ability to sustain positive relationships
FAMILY IMPACTS
Higher Risks of:
Domestic Violence
Family Estrangement
Trauma Across Generations
Lack of Financial Sustainability
COMMUNITY IMPACTS
Higher Risks of:
Crime and Violence
Poor Economy
Lack of Environmental Care
Lack of Participation in Democracy
School/Education Challenges
