Nextdoor

According to research, people who had strong social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival.

Nextdoor Australia has teamed up with leading researchers to launch the KIND Challenge - a global study that looks at how to reduce social isolation and loneliness. The KIND (Kindness Is Nextdoor) Challenge will encourage neighbours to build deeper, real-life connections within their community.

Nextdoor is working with three top researchers to analyse the survey results: Australia-based Dr. Michelle Lim, a leading expert on loneliness and health; UK-based Dr. Pamela Qualter, a leading expert in child and adolescent loneliness; and US-based Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a leading expert on social isolation and the influence of both the quantity and the quality of social relationships on long-term health.

Dr. Michelle Lim who leads the multi-country study, "This study is the first of its kind in terms of global scale as it is being conducted across three countries. This important effort will examine the effects of these connecting behaviours and whether these small acts can improve one's quality of life, health, and wellbeing. By participating in the project, participants will help us advance the knowledge in this area which is really exciting."

Loneliness is a worldwide health problem:
• Research in Australia found that 1 in 4 people felt lonely at least three days a week.
• Research shows that loneliness has the same impact on mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, making it more dangerous than obesity.

"Belonging is a universal human need, and in every corner of the world people are yearning to feel more connected with real people in real places in real ways," stated Nextdoor Australia's Country Manager Jennie Sager. "At Nextdoor, we know that these strong meaningful relationships are crucial to good health and that change starts with each of us opening our doors and building connections with the people nearest to us: our neighbours."

As the essential online neighbourhood hub, Nextdoor has a unique opportunity to help break the cycle of social isolation and loneliness, and we are proud to partner with leading researchers on this important work.

Learn more about the study here.

Nextdoor is the online neighbourhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services. We believe that by bringing neighbours together, we can cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbourhood they can rely on.

Building connections in the real world is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighbourhoods are one of the most important and useful communities in our lives, have been a guiding principle for Nextdoor since the beginning. Today, neighbours rely on Nextdoor in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, with many more to come.

Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash