Parallel Session - Good social connectedness at the individual and community level foster physical and mental health and are associated with a broad range of other positive outcomes such as job satisfaction, cooperative behaviours, social mobility and crime reduction. Further, strong social networks and community bonds can foster resilience, and quicker recovery times, in the face of climate and other disasters and represent important assets to understand and invest in. In light of this, a number of OECD countries and international organisations have begun to identify social connections as a policy priority. This interest rose further following the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in social isolation and risk of loneliness that ensued. However, a better evidence base is needed to support strategy formulation for this emerging priority, and to understand how societal shifts and megatrends such as digitalisation, climate change and population ageing are affecting connectedness at the individual and community level. This session session looked at a number of different research and practice examples related to this important policy topic.
This session was moderated by Lara Fleischer, Acting Head of Unit, Wellbeing Data Insights and Policy Practice, OECD WISE Centre.
