Scottish Forum on Social Isolation and Loneliness

The Scottish Forum on Social Isolation and Loneliness connects the community, voluntary and third sector with the Scottish Government. Organisations in Scotland who are working locally, regionally or nationally are welcome to attend.

The Forum is a space for practitioners, researchers and policy-makers based in Scotland to connect, share, and discuss all matters linked to social isolation and loneliness.

The Forum was launched in 2025 and meets online 3 times a year. Co-chaired by Befriending Networks and Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, each meeting features a keynote speaker, presentations from practitioners and breakout rooms for discussion and sharing experiences and insights. The Forum is aligned with the Scottish Government Ministerial Advisory Group on Social Isolation and Loneliness, with direct representation from the Forum to Government.

The Forum supports the delivery of the national strategy Recovering Our Connections.

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Next Forum meeting

The Forum will meet again in 2027:

February (date to be confirmed)
Wednesday 16 June
Thursday 30 September

Booking for the next meeting will open soon. Sign up to join the Forum so you receive the latest event updates.

We also run free open networking events for befriending organisations.
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A Manifesto for Social Connection in Scotland

In 2025, ahead of the Scottish elections, the Forum engaged with more than 120 organisations across Scotland to develop its vision to cut chronic loneliness by half over the next decade.

The Manifesto urges the Scottish Government to make tackling social isolation and loneliness a public health priority, calling for a long-term strategic framework to tackle the issue.

Read the Manifesto