How do young men meet friends in London?

[JacknDiane]

Is already involved in a team sports. But could do with more friends. How on earth do you go about this in London?
And this is a serious post, I'm really trying to help ds. Not at university, just working but its a wfh job and he isn't meeting workmates.

Run clubs very sociable.

If he is wfh and has no ties in London what was the draw? Wfh is not good for young uns imo

So agree, trouble is job market is so bad

The draw was a job he wanted. There was nothing near us.

But he works at home?

My son is really struggling with this. He actually went to university in London and historically has had no issues making friends at school and then uni. A combination of COVID, redoing his third year at uni, moving home for a year to pay off debts and a relationship breakdown just after he’d moved back to London means he’s now spending a lot of time on his own. I do worry about him spending so much time on his own.

If his role is fully remote, why is he living in a place where he knows no one?

Its wfh most of the time but the company said they would only employ someone that could work in the office at short notice...so far hes done months wfh and went into the office a few times only...

Its either that or no job.

I dont want to elaborate on the job situation, its his choice and I need to support that. I just wish wfh never existed.

He'll do fine. London is a great place to make friends. Just has to make a bit of an effort and join everything.

Is there not an option to go to the office more? At my place it tends to be the younger group and the older group who go in most frequently so might be plenty of folks his age.

My DC and their partners were raised in London: 31, 30, 29, 28.

DS and DIL sporty with music as a side: rugby, tennis, football, hockey, cricket - plenty of clubs. DS used to go clubbing in Brixton.

DD and BF are very musical - sing in a choir, concerts, etc, dd does a bit of am dram, BF still rows occasionally - plenty of clubs.

Church, politics, book club, volunteering, join the TA?

I'd also say: read well and go to the cinema/concerts so when he does meet people, he's got something to talk about.

Are you able to share roughly what part of London?

Some good things have been suggested already. I’d add: volunteering for a charity or cause he likes. Doing a course eg learn to sail, learn to row — water sports seem good for bonding!

It’s hard.

This is true.

Actually I will suggest volunteering, he did that before.

No work clubs or colleagues who share activities?

Does he like board games? There's bound to be a board game cafe.

Is he house sharing? If not, he should. Is he a graduate? Alumni groups sometimes have young alumni meet ups. Depending on his job could he start a social group there or arrange to meet colleagues if they all have to be able to travel in?

London can be very lonely to be honest. Yes, lots of opportunities to meet people with effort. But lots of time alone travelling/watching people who appear to have a better social life than you too.

Or, depending on his working hours, could he get a job working in a pub or bar a couple of evenings a week? It would get him out of the house and meeting people. (Or any evening job that involves meeting people.) He could do it for a few months, until after the busy Christmas/New Year period, then see how things are.