Introduction

Moving to a new area promises to be a chapter of fresh beginnings, unforgettable friendships, life-changing experiences, and boundless opportunities. Yet, the reality often contrasts this hopeful narrative. For many young adults - social anxiety leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

The Reality

The pages of a report, a collaboration between Accenture and Cibyl, cast a revealing light on the lives of 12,000 new movers
- More than 1 in 4 find themselves without true friends
- More than 1 in 3 have experienced a decline in their mental health since moving to a new area

The Consequences

The impact on our society is profound. The rise of social media and technology platforms has seen an increase in loneliness, isolation and the loss of social skills. In the worst cases, poor mental health can result in suicide, with the Office of National Statistics reporting large numbers have suicidal thoughts - a rate equivalent to 1 in every 4 days.

Friendships

Unsurprisingly, friendships and a sense of belonging are positive influences on young people’s mental health. Young adults who reported being satisfied with the quality of their friendships were 1.4 times less likely to be currently experiencing mental health challenges than those who reported being dissatisfied.

Connect

We know friendships make a difference to positive MH, so UniLink helps people make meaningful connections and relationships through building local communities and encouraging involvement in extracurricular activities, seeing as loneliness is one of the key contributors to poor mental health and having a strong social group is particularly important for wellbeing.