LinkAges facilitates intergenerational activities between university students and older people in the local community, tackling social isolation for both groups.
What is LinkAges?
If older people and students are connected through fun, meaningful activities, both parties benefit from improved self-esteem and wellbeing, leading to a reduction in loneliness and an increase in community cohesion.
Our intergenerational activities focused on sharing skills and stories to build friendships. We work in partnership with local community centres and housing providers to ensure our activities are targeted to community needs.
Activities include coffee mornings, creative groups and technology drop-ins. Student participants are trained in safeguarding adults, and facilitating worthwhile conversations.
What’s the impact?
LinkAges aims to build community cohesion by reducing the intergenerational gap and ageism. To meet this aim we ensure students and community members who take part in the programme:
- Learn about one another
- Feel more connected to others
- Have improved self-esteem
- Have improved wellbeing
In 2022-23
100%
partners agreed they observed increased self esteem amongst the community participants
83%
students agreed they observed improved communication amongst community participants
100%
partners agreed they observed a positive change in perception of university students
Being involved with LinkAges has been a highlight of my University education. It has equipped me with valuable leadership and teamwork skills and sparked a passion for social action that I hope shall continue well beyond my time at University.
Jade Bruce, Bristol Hub volunteer