Guest article by Philippe Goetschel (www.meinohrfuerdich.ch)
You do not need to have a “big problem” to call if you feel lonely. The association “Mein Ohr für Dich – einfach mal reden!” offers a free hotline (0800 500 400) throughout Switzerland — 365 days a year — as an everyday phone line for people aged 16 and over: to chat, share, laugh, reflect — simply for human contact. The service is clearly separated from crisis hotlines: it focuses on everyday conversations that connect, inspire, and ease the mind when no one else is available.
Philippe Goetschel for www.meinohrfuerdich.ch (left) and Thomas Vogt for www.uneinsam.ch (right) on January 19th 2026
Loneliness is a society-wide issue that affects all generations. This makes services that can be used without shame — low-threshold, free, and anonymous — all the more important. The free, anonymous, and confidential phone line is available daily from 2 to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 5 to 7 p.m. For English speakers, there is an English Line (Monday and Thursday, 8–9 p.m.). On the other end are trained volunteers who listen, talk, and open space for conversation — without pressure, without registration, without barriers — simply by phone.
In addition to spontaneous calls, the association arranges tandem phone friendships. A volunteer calls a participant once a week at an agreed time — reliably and over a longer period. This creates a sense of commitment that many people lack in everyday life. It also builds a trusted and supportive connection.
The project is run 100% by volunteers, including the project management. Funded exclusively through donations, this service is unique in Switzerland in this combination. “Mein Ohr für Dich – einfach mal reden!” combines professional expertise with practical experience, strengthens self-efficacy in the spirit of help for self-help, and builds bridges. In this way, people start talking again, feel connected, and can overcome loneliness step by step.
With one click, you can access the services from «Mein Ohr für Dich»!
guest article by Arik Brueckner (www.safeRchoice.ch)
Companionship is a basic human need. There are many options such as dating apps, online networks, and more. However, in Switzerland there are hardly any solutions that make companionship accessible as a service. This is where Choice aims to close an important gap by offering access to companionship tailored to individual needs and personal situations. This paid companionship can help counter loneliness and strengthen self-esteem.
Symbolic image of a meeting with a companion from saferchoice.ch in Thun in spring 2025
Through the platform, you can request specific support — whether to talk, go for a walk, or share a meal together. There is also the option to book a “Wingperson Experience,” where you are supported in stepping outside your comfort zone and building new, lasting connections more easily. As a complementary service to existing friendships and acquaintances, this can help expand your comfort zone so that, with strengthened self-confidence, you can approach people more independently in the future. The companions not only provide theoretical tips, but — in agreement with the client — also offer practical support and experience. An additional helpful service may include support with general questions, for example when creating a profile on a dating app, on other networks, or when communicating with other users on social media or through other channels.
With this offer, the aim is to reduce the stigma around paid companionship and loneliness. Using companionship as a service is not a failure, but — similar to therapy — a form of self-care. The goal is not to replace unpaid time with friends and family, but to complement existing options without a sense of competition.
From a scientific perspective, loneliness and isolation can create a vicious cycle of so-called hypervigilance (according to John T. Cacioppo), which leads people to increasingly perceive social contact as a threat. Loneliness is a multifaceted and complex issue. Professional paid companionship can be a simple and effective intervention to break this cycle, as the focus is entirely on the client and their specific needs.
Feedback: I (Tom Vogt) had the opportunity to test a conversation- and coaching-focused companionship service on the platform in Thun and Zurich twice without payment and gained valuable and interesting insights. For me, it was especially meaningful to benefit from the perspectives of the companions I had preselected based on their profiles. This allowed me to learn more about their outlook on life. Throughout the experience, I always felt relaxed and professionally supported.
With one click, you can access the offering of Choice!
With one click, you can access the offering of Choice!
Guest article by Cesira Lanz (www.nuemeinsam.ch)
Do you sometimes feel lonely or feel that you are not on the same wavelength as the people around you? Would you like to change that and are you 65 years or older?
NümEinsam is an internet-based self-help program developed by psychologists at the University of Zurich to reduce feelings of loneliness in people aged 65 and over. The interactive program uses texts, videos, and exercises to teach different strategies and techniques for coping better with loneliness and low mood. As part of a study at the University of Zurich, you can use the program anonymously and free of charge over several weeks.
NümEinsam is conducted exclusively online and can be accessed via laptop, PC, smartphone, or tablet. The study runs approximately until October 2025 and aims to examine the program’s effectiveness in reducing loneliness. The modules consist of both theoretical content and practical exercises. Working through the program takes about 30–60 minutes per week, depending on the person. All information is treated as strictly confidential and anonymous. Participants receive a CHF 20 voucher for completing the first follow-up survey and an additional CHF 30 voucher for the second follow-up survey.
NümEinsam is an internet-based self-help program developed by psychologists at the University of Zurich to reduce feelings of loneliness in people aged 65 and over. The interactive program uses texts, videos, and exercises to teach different strategies and techniques for coping better with loneliness and low mood. As part of a study at the University of Zurich, you can use the program anonymously and free of charge over several weeks.
NümEinsam is conducted exclusively online and can be accessed via laptop, PC, smartphone, or tablet. The study runs approximately until October 2025 and aims to examine the program’s effectiveness in reducing loneliness. The modules consist of both theoretical content and practical exercises. Working through the program takes about 30–60 minutes per week, depending on the person. All information is treated as strictly confidential and anonymous. Participants receive a CHF 20 voucher for completing the first follow-up survey and an additional CHF 30 voucher for the second follow-up survey.
Thomas Vogt for www.uneinsam.ch
(left) and Cesira Lanz for www.nuemeinsam.ch
(right) on June 16, 2024
If you are interested, you can read more and sign up on the following website: www.nuemeinsam-studie.uzh.ch. If you have any questions, you can reach the project team on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays at +41 (0) 44 634 52 97 or send an email to: [email protected].
With one click, you can access the offering of NümEinsam!
Guest article by Gabriel Riedo (www.beunity.io)
More and more people feel lonely and isolated in their neighborhoods. The reasons include overly wide communication circles, growing anonymity, a lack of shared community activities, and people’s social anxieties.
This trend is also reflected in our work with various neighborhood organizations. Housing cooperatives, neighborhood associations, and property owners contact us to fight loneliness in their residential areas. They have noticed that an inactive neighborhood without interaction has serious effects on the community. Safety concerns arise, people become dissatisfied, and the overall quality of the neighborhood declines.
With beUnity, we want to change this.
With our digital all-in-one platform, we offer neighborhoods a customizable and scalable community solution that allows residents to connect easily, exchange ideas on local topics, and get involved with one another.
The goal of the platform is to turn neighbors into a functioning community that looks for shared solutions, supports one another, shares resources, and makes decisions as a group instead of alone. This strengthens social bonds, increases the sense of belonging, and improves the well-being of everyone locally.
This trend is also reflected in our work with various neighborhood organizations. Housing cooperatives, neighborhood associations, and property owners contact us to fight loneliness in their residential areas. They have noticed that an inactive neighborhood without interaction has serious effects on the community. Safety concerns arise, people become dissatisfied, and the overall quality of the neighborhood declines.
With beUnity, we want to change this.
With our digital all-in-one platform, we offer neighborhoods a customizable and scalable community solution that allows residents to connect easily, exchange ideas on local topics, and get involved with one another.
The goal of the platform is to turn neighbors into a functioning community that looks for shared solutions, supports one another, shares resources, and makes decisions as a group instead of alone. This strengthens social bonds, increases the sense of belonging, and improves the well-being of everyone locally.
Thomas Vogt for www.uneinsam.ch
(left) and Gabriel Riedo for www.beunity.io
(right) on April 13, 2023
In the meantime, we connect people in over 120 neighborhoods across Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. We also offer our solution to clubs, associations, and other communities that want to improve togetherness among their members. Anyone who would like to learn more is very welcome to visit the beUnity website and get in touch with us.
With one click, you can access the services of BeUnity!