The Cares Family

“Loneliness is more than just an emotional experience; it has profound impacts on our mental and physical health. This inquiry will help us better understand the issue and pave the way for practical solutions to bring our communities closer together.” The New South Wales, Australia, inquiry into the impact of and potential solutions to loneliness is the latest in a growing number of state-led initiatives to tackle the issue. https://lnkd.in/eeHacTGM Learn more about the 2023 call to action from 100+ UK organisations to combat loneliness and build community in the UK: https://lnkd.in/e2exxm5n

For 12 years, our programmes helped people feel less lonely, more connected, and that they belong. Find out more about the impact of intergenerational community: https://lnkd.in/erMD299m

✔️ Happier ✔️ More connected ✔️ Part of something bigger Older and younger neighbours sharing time and experiences helps people feel part of a changing world, rather than left behind by it. Find out more about the impact of intergenerational community in this blog from last year from Manchester Cares: https://lnkd.in/eCdNA2uE

‘Anything people can do to build their social connections, and the quality of their social connections, is a really important thing for their future health.’ Be inspired by these young people building ‘conscious connection’ in Australia: https://lnkd.in/gcw-jdtF

'My relationship with Carolyn shifted from a volunteer opportunity to a genuine friendship. When I felt most adrift, it was grounding to know I had our weekly visit to look forward to.' Connecting across generations can reduce loneliness, connect communities and build belonging. Let this story about Friendship Works in the US inspire you: https://lnkd.in/etZHfW-D

While The Cares Family is no longer operational, it's amazing to see the work of inspiring people who continue to reduce loneliness and intergenerational divides in communities across the UK. York Cares were part of Ripple Effect in 2022, and now run regular social clubs bringing older and younger neighbours together. Find out more via the links below – and bravo, York Cares! https://lnkd.in/gF7d7dqQ https://lnkd.in/gQMv2Ebm

Between 2011 and 2023, The Cares Family: 🔘 Connected some 30,000 older and younger neighbours to reduce loneliness and intergenerational polarisation. 🔘 Built local programmes and communities that helped people live happier, more connected lives in times of challenge and change. 🔘 Supported 37 Multipliers bringing people from different backgrounds and experiences together through a unique leadership and capacity-building programme. 🔘 Trained another 16 local leaders to adopt our intergenerational model and apply it in their own communities through our Ripple Effect programme. 🔘 Helped shift the media narrative about loneliness and raised awareness of the importance of building connection in a disconnected age. 🔘 Helped shape the world’s first ever government-level loneliness strategy which was launched by the then-UK Prime Minister at a The Cares Family social club in 2018. 🔘 Advocated for more action from government, businesses, civil society and individuals to reduce loneliness and build community, through multiple reports, podcasts and other initiatives. 🔘 Supported the development of organisations and campaigns like We're Right Here, The Chatty Cafe Scheme, b:friend and more. 🔘 Raised £14 million to fund this work, through deep partnerships and by helping older and younger neighbours to work together to support the activities they loved. We are so proud of this legacy 💚💙❤️💜💚🖤 That’s why we're re-launching our websites, to be able to share the stories, blogs, films, photos, reports and inspiration of 12 years of impact: 🖤 The Cares Family: www.thecaresfamily.org.uk 💙 North London Cares: https://lnkd.in/ePD3KmP ❤️ South London Cares: https://lnkd.in/dbExrmW 💚 East London Cares: www.eastlondoncares.org.uk 💜 Manchester Cares: www.manchestercares.org.uk 💚 Liverpool Cares: www.liverpoolcares.org.uk And by re-invigorating our social channels, we can continue to shine a spotlight on the importance of building connection in a disconnected age, and to inspire more action everywhere. While we're no longer operational, we're looking forward to sharing the stories of the power of connection across generations and backgrounds, and to continuing to help people feel part of our changing world, rather than left behind by it.

We are devastated to share that The Cares Family charities have closed due to financial difficulties. We’re fiercely proud of our staff, our communities, and all we’ve built together over the past 12 years. More here: https://lnkd.in/e2ZQgcbS

We've got a new publications page on our website 📖 🙌 This new page is home to all of our recent publications and you can now access them all in one place 👍 On there you'll find the Building Connection series which we published earlier this year 🤝 In July we published Building Connection: A Manifesto. In this report we set out five big and bold ideas to help policymakers from across the political spectrum tackle our crisis of social disconnection 📣 In June, we published Building Connection: Exploring What Works which outlines the ten techniques that have helped our local charities bring together 26,000 older and younger people in London, Liverpool and Manchester over the past 12 years ❤️💙 💚 💜 💙 In February, we published Building Connection: The Promise of a Strategy for Community Spaces and Relationships, which explored the role government could play in supporting the development of social infrastructure by working with successful civic innovators 💡 Read them all here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eeHSCYCt

"You've got everything to gain and nothing to lose." Stop what you're doing, grab a brew ☕ and take a look at this beautiful example of intergenerational friendship 🤝 Alex (31) and Loretta (66) met through South London Cares' Love Your Neighbour programme and have been friends for six months. This video they put together shares their reflections on what they've gained from the friendship 🖤 Alex and Loretta are one of hundreds of matches on the Love Your Neighbour programme. If you want to find out how to get involved in our local charity programmes in London, Liverpool and Manchester, then head on down to this page 👇 https://lnkd.in/eHVpkXJD