Leopold’s Miranda Hodge tackling loneliness among school mums

Are Geelong’s school communities nurturing or isolating? A new debate among local mums highlights concerns about loneliness in the region.

Leopold mum and podcaster Miranda Hodge holds a weekly open invite coffee date to tackle loneliness in Geelong mums. Picture: Brad Fleet

Geelong mums are locked in a heated debate over whether the region’s school communities are nurturing hubs or cliquey breeding grounds for isolation.

The discussion, sparked by one mum’s struggle to connect, comes as Geelong grapples with higher-than-average rates of loneliness.

In an anonymous social media post, the mum asked for “help” understanding why she was disconnected from her children’s school community after nearly four years in the area.

“I am a fairly social and community-minded person, and I’m struggling a lot in Geelong as it just feels very … private, passive, closed,” she wrote.

She said most parents stood alone or stayed in their cars at school pick-up and kids’ sporting games.

“I’m really struggling,” she wrote.

Another social media user wrote: “This is part of the reason I’m leaving Geelong.”

But one mum said she felt very welcome in the community.

“I have moved from Melbourne after feeling disconnected and lonely, and I’ve found the community in Geelong really welcoming and warm,” she said.

Psychologist Rachael Eden-Jones, from Breathe Psychology Geelong, said the mother’s frustration was not uncommon.

“I’ve experienced it personally,” she said.

“I’m relatively new to Geelong and a mum with school-aged children.

“A lot of people here have friends that they’ve had since school, and it seems quite normal to just stick with those people.”

Mrs Eden-Jones said it was hard for new people, without longstanding friendships, to feel connected.

“There is still that small town vibe to Geelong, and if you’re a newcomer it’s really hard to break into that,” she said.

Leopold mum and podcaster Miranda Hodge holds a weekly open invite coffee date to tackle loneliness in Geelong mums. Picture: Brad Fleet

The City of Greater Geelong’s 2024 preventive health survey found 25 per cent of Geelong residents were lonely, higher than the Victorian Average of 23.3 per cent.

Mrs Eden-Jones said the issue was amplified for mums.

“I see a lot of woman who are feeling unsupported; by their partners, families, communities and society at large,” she said.

Leopold mum, teacher and wellness coach Miranda Hodge is proactively trying to stop loneliness by hosting weekly open-invite coffee dates.

When she started the initiative she wasn’t sure how it would be received.

“Worst case scenario, I thought I’d end up sitting in quiet cafe enjoying my coffee,” she said.

Now the group of about 10 mums meet regularly and support each other.

Mrs Hodge said her own school community was very welcoming, but she had heard from numerous mums who felt isolated.

“I’ve seen so many mums feel like they aren’t connected once their kids go to school and they go back to work,” she said.

“A playgroup space or kinder is literally created for community interaction, so suddenly moving out of that you have to create the community yourself.

“Put yourself out there,” she said.

Geelong council is forming a social inclusion action group to investigate the drivers of loneliness in the community.

Originally published as Leopold’s Miranda Hodge tackling loneliness among school mums