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St Monica Trust's ACE (Active, Connected, Engaged) Neighbours was devised by the University of Bath and successfully piloted in areas of Bristol. The project which is funded by LinkAge, will support older adults in Hartcliffe and Withywood to get out and about more, improve their confidence and engage more with their community.
In Hartcliffe and Withywood, there are lots of opportunities for older adults to get involved in, but for some, getting out and engaging in their community can be a bit daunting. Whether it’s going for a walk, going out for a coffee, or trying a new activity, most people would prefer to have someone to go with.
The ACE Neighbours project works by matching an older volunteer (60+) with an older adult (65+) – a ‘neighbour’. They spend the first few weeks getting to know one another and discussing the different opportunities that are happening locally. The neighbour then decides if there are any opportunities that they’d like to try out, and together they give them a go. The volunteer will support their neighbour to gain confidence in attending opportunities in their community, before gradually withdrawing their contact. By the end of the six months the neighbour is independently active.
Through this support the neighbour will not only be independently active and have more confidence, but through the increased community involvement, they should also see benefits in their physical activity, social engagement and mental wellbeing.
The ACE Neighbours project will be launching soon, so watch this space!
In the meantime, if you’d like to register your interest or share information on activities that you’re running in the area, then please contact Catherine on 07817 632 963 or email catherine.robinson@stmonicatrust.org.uk
The ACE (Active, Connected, Engaged) Neighbours project is delivered by St Monica Trust and funded by LinkAge, with training and evaluation provided by the University of Bath. The project will also be expanding into Keynsham in 2018.