Connect

Helping people find connection and belonging in Barking and Dagenham

Connect is a collaborative, borough-wide approach to tackling social isolation in Barking and Dagenham. 

It shows what is possible when local organisations work together around residents, rather than expecting people to navigate support on their own. Connect is helping people build friendships, rediscover skills, reduce their reliance on services and feel that they matter. 

Led by BD Collective members, Connect brings together local Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to support residents who may be feeling lonely or disconnected.

How it works

Rather than starting with a service or referral form, Connect starts with the person. It takes time to understand what matters to each resident, what they enjoy, what they need, and what kind of connection would help them feel more confident and at home in their community.

The co-designed project identified three different but overlapping environments that exist around people who are socially isolated. The project explores and shapes these three environments that enable connections: 

  1. Personal environment: the immediate circle of family, friends, and practical conditions that exists around a person. 
  2. Societal environment: the broader socially-focused organisations, activities, assets and opportunities that exist in a neighbourhood. 
  3. Service environment: the public service landscape.

BD Collective members who know Barking and Dagenham and understand local communities, are supporting residents to build relationships, try new activities, access practical help and reconnect with the people and places around them.

Why it’s important

Connect was commissioned by the Council in 2025 to address one of the borough’s biggest challenges: the second highest rate of chronic loneliness in London. Social isolation is more than loneliness, it can affect confidence, health, wellbeing and a person’s sense of purpose. 

With 11.2% of residents reporting that they felt lonely “often or always” (compared to London and England averages of just over 7%), this amounts to some 24,517 residents who are more likely to get sick, more likely to need support from services, and less likely to recover.

What we’re learning

As the learning partner, Care City shares reports and case studies exploring how long-term, person-centred and community-led support can help residents move from isolation towards connection.

Key lessons from the programme so far include:

  • People are more likely to engage when support is offered through trusted local organisations and familiar faces.
  • Loneliness is rarely a standalone issue. It is often connected to health, confidence, finances, caring responsibilities or life changes.
  • Community activities can be a powerful gateway to improved wellbeing, confidence and independence.
  • Building relationships takes time. Flexible, person-centred support is often more effective than short-term interventions.
  • Local organisations achieve more when they work together, share knowledge and coordinate support around residents.
  • Connection and belonging are important outcomes in their own right, helping people feel more confident, resilient and able to contribute to their communities.

What’s next?

As Connect continues to develop, partners will build on what they have learned to reach more residents and strengthen community connections across the borough.

The partnership will continue to test new approaches, share learning and explore how community-led solutions can play a greater role in improving health and wellbeing. By working together, BD Collective members are helping to create a borough where everyone has the opportunity to find connection, build relationships and feel a sense of belonging.