Research approach Work was conducted iteratively across four phases, with each phase flexibly adapting to emerging insight from the phase before. Figure 1 summarises the research approach. For a detailed discussion of the approach to this research please see the Annex. Figure 1. Summary of the research approach Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4: Mapping the Contexts Brainstorming Testing and landscape and needs solutions validating 27 telephone Primary research Online workshops Online forum interviews with with six target and depths - research - expert witnessesgroups - reaching reaching 21 reaching 24 people Mix of service 115 people expert witnesses experiencing providers and BRC experiencing To share findings loneliness and Co-op loneliness from the public To test and validate membership Mix of depth research and support solutions and partners interviews, small brainstorm Nat-rep survey of group sessions and support solutions 2,523 UK adults online forums What could work, aged 16+ who could Survey also made provide it? available to Co-op members 45 experts all together - 27 in Phase 1 and 18 new experts in Phase 3. Analysis Analysis of the general public survey data was conducted primarily at a total sample level, but the Our analytical approach for the qualitative research large, robust sample size allowed for analysis by was iterative and inductive – building upwards from demographic subgroups, and of target groups of the views of participants – incorporating elements interest, where relevant. of ‘grounded theory’ analysis i.e. the thematic review and continual analysis of hypotheses from For a detailed discussion of the approach to participants’ transcriptions and dialogue. Analysis the analysis of the data please see the began informally during fieldwork itself; as our supporting Annex. research team worked closely together throughout the fieldwork period, feeding back headline findings to each other as discussions were conducted, and continually updating our approach and thinking as we amassed data. The data was analysed to search for themes and trends. Background, aims and approach 14