A Connected Scotland
A Connected Scotland is the Scottish Government’s national strategy for tackling social isolation and loneliness and building social connections. It establishes a clear and compelling vision of the type of Scotland we want to be when it comes to our relationships; defines what we mean when we talk about social isolation and loneliness; sets out our key priorities in seeking to tackle social isolation and loneliness; and lays out a clear roadmap for implementing the strategy in a cross-cutting and collaborative way.
The vision states that they want a Scotland where individuals and communities are more connected, and that everyone has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships regardless of age, status, circumstances or identity.
To provide a clear focus to our future work, The Scottish Government will establish a Ministerial Steering Group to maintain oversight of activity, drive forward progress and tackle emerging issues; and a National Implementation Group, to drive forward progress in embedding a cross-sectoral approach through the development and implementation of a shared delivery plan for the Strategy along with a shared performance framework to understand the difference we’re making.
To underpin this work, 4 priorities have been established along with some early actions to help make progress.
Priority 1: Empower communities and build shared ownership
Priority 2: Promote positive attitudes and tackle stigma
Early action (involving intergenerational work): Consider with partners what more we can do to promote intergenerational dialogue, as part of the legacy of the Year of Young People.Priority 3: Create opportunities for people to connect
Priority 4: Support an infrastructure that fosters connections *Early action (involving intergenerational work): Pilot innovative housing solutions for older people, testing intergenerational and other co-living arrangements to meet housing needs and reduce social isolation and loneliness.
For the full report and list of actions check out the report below.