Request for Proposals

Policy Research on Social Isolation and Loneliness: Issues, Opportunities and Risks

1. Introduction

The BC Provincial Government invites experienced policy research groups to submit proposals for conducting research and producing policy briefs on the topic of social isolation and loneliness and the potential issues, opportunities and risks it represents across a range of sectors and interest groups. The aim is to develop informed policy positions across government portfolios that address the impact of social isolation and loneliness on, but not limited to, health, economic productivity, and community well-being across our province.

2. Background

Many economic, social and cultural factors combine today to raise diverse questions about the nature and causes of social isolation and loneliness in British Columbia. Factors like demographic shifts, changing technology and social media use, urbanization and housing patterns, remote work arrangements, mental health challenges, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are just some of the issues that pressure us, as a society, to rethink questions of social connection and community cohesion.

Focus/Scope

The impact of social isolation and loneliness is different for different groups, across communities and life stages. Health impacts might include questions of mental health outcomes, chronic disease risk, and healthcare utilization; economic impacts might include questions of workforce productivity, healthcare costs, and community economic vitality; and social impacts might include questions of civic engagement, community safety, and cultural belonging.

Perspective/Interest

But not everyone is affected by these issues in the same way. Many interest groups will have diverse views about the issues, risks and opportunities related to addressing social isolation; these interest groups include healthcare providers, seniors’ advocates, youth organizations, Indigenous communities, newcomer settlement agencies, disability rights groups, urban planners, technology companies, as well as segments of the population, such as rural residents, caregivers, LGBTQ2S+ individuals, and people experiencing mental health challenges.

Taking Action

Ministries within the BC Provincial government are facing pressure to develop policy stances on a variety of issues related to social isolation and loneliness, including increasing opportunities to design and implement interventions that strengthen social connections. These policy stances might be needed across many different government portfolios, including health and mental health, seniors’ services, children and family development, municipal affairs and housing, education, economic development, and Indigenous relations and reconciliation.

To support the development of policy stances across these areas, the government is soliciting research on the topic of social isolation and loneliness, and the potential issues, risks and opportunities it represents across a range of sectors and interest groups. The goal is to gather arguments representative of a range of perspectives and interests across the region on this issue to inform future decision making.

3. Scope and Expectations of Work

The selected policy research group will be responsible for defining a specific focus and perspective on this topic, conducting in-depth secondary research, and producing a policy brief. The policy brief should thus be transparent in the perspective and interests it represents and provide a clear set of evidence-based recommendations that can be used to inform policy stances on addressing social isolation and loneliness. Finally, the research group will be responsible for producing a communication package to disseminate the findings of the policy brief to different audiences; this package will include a variety of multimedia materials that can be used to share the recommendations.

Project Scope

Projects can look at various aspects of social isolation and loneliness, from any economic, social or cultural perspective, including, but not limited to:

Health and Well-being Impact

• The effects of social isolation and loneliness on physical and mental health outcomes across different populations.
• The relationship between loneliness and healthcare utilization, including emergency services, primary care, and long-term care.
• Best practices for screening, prevention, and intervention in healthcare settings.

Population-Specific Considerations

• The unique experiences and needs of specific populations, such as seniors, youth and young adults, Indigenous peoples, newcomers and immigrants, LGBTQ2S+ communities, people with disabilities, rural and remote residents, or other groups.
• Culturally appropriate and trauma-informed approaches to addressing social isolation in diverse communities.

Economic and Workforce Impact

• How social isolation and loneliness affect workforce productivity, absenteeism, and retention.
• The economic costs of loneliness to the provincial healthcare system and economy.
• Potential economic benefits and return on investment of interventions addressing social connection.

Built Environment and Community Design

• The role of urban planning, housing design, transportation systems, and public spaces in fostering or preventing social connection.
• How digital connectivity and technology access shape patterns of social isolation in different regions of BC.
• Community infrastructure that supports social connection (community centres, libraries, recreational facilities).

Social Policy and Systems

• The impact of existing policies and programs on social isolation patterns.
• Cross-sector approaches to addressing loneliness (health, education, social services, recreation).
• The role of social prescribing, community programs, and volunteer initiatives.

Research Scope

All research materials used in the development of proposals and policy briefs must be from within the previous 24 months (2 years) to ensure timely and relevant work to inform future policy development. No primary research will be undertaken or included in this project. Synthesis of existing research studies only.

4. Proposal Guidelines

Interested policy research groups should submit proposals according to the following template.

5. Proposal Specifications

• Proposals should have a short cover letter, addressed to Bids Management, BC Government.
• Proposals should be structured using the template above.
• Proposals must be submitted as PDFs and use a font no smaller than 11 point.
• Proposals should be between 1200-1550 words maximum.
• Any visuals, diagrams and tables must be clearly labelled.
• All reference material must be cited accurately using APA format.