A prize fund totalling £1.25 million has been offered to businesses in the technology sector that can develop new solutions tackling loneliness.
The prize fund is being drawn from a £20 million pot, set aside by the Government, which is earmarked for tech firms that devise effective solutions to complex public sector issues. Entitled GovTech, its aim is to encourage those in the tech industry to provide solutions that can be applied to other areas, both providing a benefit to society and helping UK businesses to grow.
The cabinet member for social justice at Monmouthshire Council, where the initiative is set to be launched, spoke of the problem of loneliness: “The diversity of our landscape has challenges. Loneliness has a significant impact on people’s health and well-being. There is a direct correlation between loneliness, our increasingly ageing population and the unravelling of our sense of community.
“These challenges can lead to increased loneliness and it’s making it harder for young people to access training and employment. We need to find solutions to enhance the lives of people of all ages in the future.
“I urge businesses of all sizes to get in touch and share ideas to help us alleviate some of the pressures affecting our most vulnerable communities.”
Recent Government statistics revealed that women were more prone to feelings of loneliness than men, with those who lived alone (of both genders) at greater risk.