Loneliness doesn't have to last forever
Lonely Not Alone is a Co-op Foundation campaign created in partnership with young people and specialist co-design agency, Effervescent.
Space. Vast, empty, endless.
Loneliness can feel this way too. When we’re lonely we can feel like a distant star, disconnected from everyone and everything around us.
But we are fierce, fiery balls of energy, lighting up the darkness. And though it can be hard to see, we’re each part of a constellation – a group of incredible young people, far away from each other but connected by our stories.
Welcome to the Lonely Not Alone universe
Here, we all know what it’s like to be lonely. This is a safe place for young people to share stories and join their constellation, and for people who may not be lonely themselves to send a message of support.
This is a place to know we’re not alone.
Here, you belong
Our universe is home to 10 constellations. In the Urban Fox constellation we each moved home too many times, and had to start over and over again. In the Hedgehog constellation we were hurt, and we kept everyone at a distance so they wouldn’t get hurt, too.
Each Lonely Not Alone constellation has been mapped to a real constellation, so you can look up at the night sky from your bedroom window or your back garden and see your star up there, shining bright.
One Small Step
Loneliness is something that happened to us; it isn’t shameful or embarrassing. And loneliness isn’t forever; there was a before, and there will be an after.
Saying we’re lonely may feel like a small step, but it takes a lot of courage. By sharing our stories we can take that step together.
So however hard it feels, we keep burning bright. And when an opportunity to share our story or to support someone going through a hard time appears, we take that one small step.