At InCommon, we believe we should all be able to stay part of our communities as we grow older. Since 2017, we’ve been connecting groups of young people with their older neighbours in retirement homes to support everyone - young and old - in living happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Through our programmes in London, we have seen first hand the impact of bringing generations together, with younger and older people telling us they feel happier and more connected to their communities as a result. So far, we have helped more than 2,300 people in London meet someone from a different generation - and now we want to help even more!
Empowering intergenerational connections
We know that there’s often a lot of enthusiasm for intergenerational projects but it can be hard to know where to start. Our Empower programme supports retirement schemes, schools and community groups to set up their own intergenerational project and have the confidence to organise and deliver safe, meaningful and impactful intergenerational activities. Find out more about how we can help on our Empower page.
Why should I get involved with Empower?
Teachers, scheme managers and participants have told us how much they enjoy being part of the programme and how it helps foster a sense of community.
Older participant: “I don’t have any young members of my family, so having these visits cheers me up. I love being around the children “
Teacher: “I’m glad that InCommon reached out to us and I feel so lucky to be part of this project. You can see how effective the workshops are. The children and older people are connected on a deeper level because they’re spending an extended amount of time together. You can see the children develop social skills and empathy for others.”
Scheme Manager: “Part of my role is to enable a sense of community here, but it can be a challenge with so many competing priorities. Empower’s online platform helps me to fulfil this part of my job description. It’s very easy to use and keeps everything all in one place!”
Headteacher: “It is a fantastic tool that enables me to engage with Dell Court and create intergenerational connections in our community.”
So far, Empower has connected and supported more than 20 retirement schemes and schools across nine counties across South Yorkshire, Midlands and the South East. We have worked with several major housing associations including Clarion, Orbit and Housing 21 and we are in conversations with community groups across the UK.
Housing LIN have recently done an external evaluation of the programme, which found that it helps improve health and wellbeing outcomes for older participants, boosts social and emotional learning for younger participants, builds community cohesion, tackles ageism, and improves workplace satisfaction (for those working in older people’s housing).
Click here to read Housing LIN’s Report Summary.
You can also watch InCommon speak at Housing LIN’s HAPPI Hour.
Join our intergenerational movement
We hope that you’ll be part of our intergenerational movement. We are now welcoming new partners to take part in our Empower programme from August 2024. Get in touch with our Programme Manager Mel to find out more.
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