Year 12 students are coming to the end of their formal schooling. Many are having graduation ceremonies at the moment ahead of their final exams.

Over the next few months, some school leavers might find their friends are travelling overseas while others are beginning new jobs. Maybe some classmates are moving to different towns or cities to study or work.

As young people begin to move into this new life stage, they might feel their school friendships and wider networks are becoming more distant or disconnected. They may feel lost or lonely.

What do we mean by loneliness?

Loneliness happens whenever a person feels a discrepancy between their desired and actual connections.

It’s different to social isolation, which involves a person having objectively fewer social contacts, social roles, and relationships. And it’s different from being alone, which is an objective experience of being physically removed from other people.

What the research says

When students finish school, we know they are at a vulnerable age.

In Australia, survey data suggests 43% of young people aged between 15 and 25 years experience loneliness.

A separate Norwegian study looked at how people aged between 13 and 31 years experienced loneliness. It found feelings of loneliness tended to increase in people aged 18–25. The research also suggests those who........

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