Time to Shine Making less isolated, one older person at a time

September 2017 Time to Shine is a programme, led by older people, that aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation in people over the age of 50. Time to shine is working towards These are major issues, not fully four ambitious outcomes by 2021. understood, and our job is to learn what makes a difference. Older people:

Time to Shine works in partnership 1. Are less isolated to deliver activities, training and 2. Feel confident to participate in campaigns across Leeds that celebrate their communities and promote positive ageing. 3. Are actively involved in the design and delivery of Time to What we learn will help older people Shine live fulfilling lives now and in the future. Organisations: Visit www.timetoshineleeds.org for more details. 4. Work better together to coordinate services and New people are always welcome so support for isolated older please join an activity, volunteer, or people get involved in any way you can.

2 Photo: LIHH Photo: Age UK Leeds Cara Digital Angels Reconnecting older people of Irish heritage Creating online and offline connections Cara means “friend” in Irish. Volunteers visit older people between older people in Leeds of Irish heritage in their homes to make sure they can stay Staff and volunteers assist older people to get online for the connected as they reach later life. Support is offered to help first time, supporting learners in their home and over the people get involved in social and cultural activities and to meet phone. Digital tea parties in community centres and libraries old and new friends. introduce learners to each other – in person or via Skype – and help unlock the mystery of the World Wide Web.

 City-wide  South and Southeast Leeds  Leeds Irish Health and Homes  Age UK Leeds  [email protected][email protected]  0113 262 5614  0113 389 3000 3 Photo: Pam Courtney Photo: Peter Howarth Sage Lychee Red Bespoke services for older LGBT people across Leeds Befriending and support for local Chinese communities A group of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans (LGBT) people Chinese elders come together to share a meal and then stay create a programme of activities which are fun and easy to on for social activities, games, exercise and entertainment, access by people over 50. The team also work to strengthen supported by a team of bilingual volunteers from local Chinese the LGBT inclusivity of existing services through training and communities. partnership work.

(Trans is an umbrella term referring to all gender-nonconforming identities)

 City-wide  City-wide, focus on south Leeds  Yorkshire MESMAC, Age UK Leeds  Health For All  [email protected][email protected]  0113 244 4209 / 07736 151 895  0113 271 7231 or 07930 250 508 Photo: Sara Teresa Photo: Leeds Community Connect Time To Shine BME Elders Networks Leeds Community Connect Supporting South Asian communities of Leeds Turning underused village venues into vibrant New members are warmly welcomed into Elders’ Community Hubs in rural Leeds Networks for activities which are fun, sociable, culturally- Steered by local older people and supported by a team of appropriate and sensitive to the needs of older people. volunteers, Community Hubs offer a varied programme of The programme of activities is designed by older people activities where older people come together on a regular basis and is supported by bilingual staff and volunteers. to socialise, learn and have fun. The first phase of the project saw great success in , Scholes, Thorner and East Keswick; the next phase will set up new hubs in rural South Leeds.

 City-wide  Rural Leeds, various locations  Health for All  Community First Yorkshire  [email protected][email protected]  07590 182627 / 0113 270 6903  01904 704177 5 Photo: Carol Ann Reed Photo: Shared Tables Learning Disability Shared Tables Community Development Time together over a meal in a local restaurant Connecting learning disabled older people Single people who can travel independently share a table at Our Learning Disability Community Development project will a local restaurant for a self-funded meal, hosted by an older help us gain a better understanding of how many older learning volunteer. disabled people are experiencing social isolation in our city. We want to know what the barriers are for them in developing Shared Tables will be supporting the creation of similar meaningful social relationships and how they would like to schemes in other areas of Leeds, passing on what they have tackle their isolation and loneliness. learned so that more people can benefit from this successful project.

 City-wide  and Other Areas  The Bridge (Health for All) / Aspire / Purple Patch  Cross Gates & District Good Neighbours' Scheme CIO  [email protected][email protected]  0113 276 2720  0113 260 6565 Photo: Peter Howarth Photo: Leeds Community Connect Age Friendly Campaign Learning Facilitation Working in partnership to make Leeds an Time to Shine training and awareness Age Friendly city Time to Shine offers a comprehensive training programme The first year of this project saw the creation of an Age for older people, volunteers and staff to raise awareness of Friendly Charter for Leeds, written by older people from loneliness and share key messages. Training is provided across all over the city. We are now working with third-sector Leeds, focusing on the causes and effects of social isolation and organisations, health providers, the Council and businesses to the ways in which this can be reduced. implement it. The strategy is led by a steering group of adults over 50; get in touch to find out how you can help.

 City-wide  Time to Shine at Leeds Older People’s Forum  Learning Facilitator: [email protected]  Age Friendly Campaign Officer: [email protected]  0113 244 1697 7 Small Funds Time to Shine funding for local organisations Local organisations apply for between £5,000 and £10,000 for a 12-month project to help understand how to reduce social isolation and loneliness. There are two funding rounds per year with a different theme in each round.

 City-wide  Leeds Community Foundation  [email protected]  0113 242 2426

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Connecting those with Leeds at heart.

Our goal is to create a healthier, happier Leeds where hardship and inequality are words of the past and where grassroots projects can blossom. We form partnerships between community groups that are making a di erence and the people who wish to invest in a better future for our city.

To fi nd out how you can get involved in our work: Ring: (0113) 242 2426 Email: [email protected] Visit: www.leedscf.org.uk Association of Blind Asians Happy Panda (快乐熊猫) ABA has identified a tendency for older men who experience Happy Panda brings together older Chinese men who have sight loss to withdraw into themselves, which can lead to worked in the catering industry—physically demanding jobs depression and isolation. Walking for Health employs a Men's during unsociable hours—leading to many being isolated, Health Coordinator to organise monthly walks, make home especially if English is a challenge. Cooking together and visits and provide information about a range of services singing in English, which has been shown as a good language available to men from the Asian community. improvement technique, builds confidence and helps form better social connections too.  City-wide  City-wide  [email protected][email protected]  0113 210 3347  0113 271 7231

Zest Health for Life St Luke's Cares Recognising that many more women than men join in activities Men over 50 gain or enhance the necessary skills to fix up in Chapeltown, Zest Health for Life run a breakfast club for items for St. Luke’s Cares charity shops. This includes painting, men only. Once a week local men gather for a healthy hot re-upholstering, repairing white goods and rebuilding furniture. breakfast and a chance to make new friends. They have a Workshops are a great way to get to know people, while being chance to share their skills, hobbies and stories as they teach part of a team and accomplishing a common goal. and learn from each other, including the opportunity to earn their Food Hygiene qualification. This project is developing with the help of an additional round of Small Funds, fostering the connections that form between all volunteers in the charity shops.

 Chapeltown  South Leeds  [email protected][email protected]  0113 240 6677  0113 320 0396 9 Small Funds continued AVSED LS14 Trust Following an Asset-Based Community Development approach, The Postcard Cafe brings participants together to socialise and Age Friendly Airborough will help strengthen existing write postcards, sending them around the world via an online relationships across 9 local extra-care and sheltered housing postcard exchange service. They track where their postcards residences. Staff will identify Community Connectors within have gone and receive some in return. This project provides these residences and support them in the creation of in-house an opportunity to merge old-fashioned and modern ways of activities which relieve social isolation and loneliness. communicating.

 Airborough  [email protected][email protected]  0113 318 0522  0113 250 1702

Pyramid Of Arts Rothwell & District Live At Home Pyramid of Arts will engage older people with learning Help to Connect will set up a team of 5-6 volunteer befriender disabilities who are not currently accessing many services. enablers to work with 25 older people living in the Rothwell Those who wish can attend a 12-week art project to try out a and district area facing barriers to social inclusion. Befrienders range of different art forms, from traditional to digital. The end will be trained and supported to help participants achieve result will be a unique "Cultural Passport”: a piece of artwork agreed goals which promote independence, social participation which articulates their social ambitions and can be shared easily and formation of meaningful relationships. with those involved in the person’s care.

 City-wide  Rothwell  [email protected][email protected]  0113 234 6040  0113 288 0887 Photo: Age UK Leeds Photo: Care-Connect Walking with Confidence Local Evaluation Increasing older people’s independence Independent evaluation of the Time to Shine programme by walking together This academic research, conducted by a partnership of the Trained volunteers offer support and a reassuring presence for University of Sheffield, Leeds Beckett and Leeds Trinity up to 12 weeks to help older people get out and about on foot, Universities, helps to explain which of the approaches mobility scooter or public transport. A goal is set – such as to developed by our delivery partners work well to reduce social visit a shop, pub or a friend’s house – and volunteers and older isolation. This evidence will be shared with local funders people work towards achieving this together. and decision makers for the future. The Volunteer Listeners Project, led by an older person, invites volunteers to help gather stories and experiences of people involved across Time to Shine.  City-wide  Age UK Leeds  City-wide  [email protected]  Care-Connect  0113 389 3000  [email protected] 11 Supporting Wellbeing Older people who are frail or who have complex medical needs are at high risk of being socially isolated. Health and mobility problems can make it increasingly difficult for older people to get out and do the things they enjoy. Extra support can help improve some of these situations.

The Supporting Wellbeing projects communicate with health professionals (GPs, memory support teams, community matrons and more) to reach people who could benefit from that extra level of support to access social opportunities.

The length of support will depend on individual needs and can be offered in a range of Asian languages, e.g. Punjabi, Urdu, or Chinese.

Age UK Leeds Age UK Leeds will serve as a single point of referral for all the Supporting Wellbeing projects, as each serves a different geographical location or population. Please get in touch and ask for someone with the Supporting Wellbeing Service.  City-wide  [email protected]  0113 389 3000 12 Bramley Elderly Action Covering Bramley, and parts of in West Leeds.

 West Leeds  [email protected]  0113 236 1644

Health For All Health for All’s New Hope project works with BME elders from Chinese, Pakistani, Sikh, Bangladeshi and Hindi communities in South Leeds.

 South Leeds  [email protected]  07940 020847 OPAL in Partnership with MAECare Cross Gates and District Good Shared Well, a partnership of OPAL and MAECare, covers LS16 and LS17 areas in North Leeds. Neighbours’ Scheme CIO Covering Cross Gates and surrounding areas in East Leeds.

 East Leeds  North Leeds  [email protected][email protected]  0113 260 6565  0113 261 9103 13 Year Two Achievements Time to Shine reached Of these 2,600 people: almost 2,600 people in 2016/17, taking the total Older people actively number of people reached 57% participating in Time to to almost 4,900 since the Shine projects programme began. Older volunteers involved 13% in Time To Shine Supporting Wellbeing projects start to work with 200 people frail older people Work with attend the Time 4% older LGBT to Shine first year Older people celebration event attending one-off people to make events Leeds Pride age friendly

April May June July August September 14 Attended Time to 4% Shine training or workshops

19% Other

Younger volunteers involved in delivery 3% 1000 partner projects newsletter subscribers

Age Friendly Charter launches Leeds City 29 Time to after consultation Councillors briefed Shine projects with 176 older about Time to Shine Twitter underway people in an Executive Board report account has 1700 followers

October November December January February March 15 “I am pleased to note that someone is taking an interest in lives that built the foundation of our Quotes present society.” Feedback – Age Friendly Charter consultation “I have had a lifelong interest in gardening and “The training on LGBT awareness& and understanding before the death of my best friend, used to go was interesting and very engaging. Thanks for the out for the day with the spades, and have fun. energy and creativity you put into your work.” Having moved to Leeds, all this has come to an – Sage Training attendee end. My sister-in-law, knowing my situation, gave me a flyer advertising your gardening area; I phoned Martin and the rest, as they “I am a single man, I am mostly alone. Only Sudoku say, is history. Suddenly I have new friends with and TV along with me, but since I came to the club, I common interests, have somewhere to go, and feel like home, everyone cared for each other. I feel so am doing things again. It's literally changed my moved.” life around.” – Lang, Lychee Red participant – That Friday Feeling Goes Gardening participant

“We didn’t need money to feel rich and together.” “It has brought more laughter into my life, I – Barbara, Cara participant believe laughter is better than any medicine.” – Shared Tables participant 16 Real-Life Stories Supporting Wellbeing Mr. and Mrs. H are a very close couple and rarely did things without each other. They used to attend a lunch club together but Mr. H had a fall and was unable to leave Digital Angels the house for a long time as there was no grab rail. Vera was tired of sitting on her own watching television. She lives alone and is unable to leave the house without Mrs. H has recently been diagnosed with dementia but help. Vera’s family bought her a tablet but Vera didn’t after getting lost on the bus a few times, she decided she even have a radio growing up so she felt confused and was not going out again on her own. The family referred left out with technology. After an initial introduction the couple to Supporting Wellbeing because they were Vera had weekly visits from Gail, a volunteer with Digital worried that they were becoming isolated. The project Angels, to help Vera learn how to use her tablet. worker developed a positive relationship with the couple and eventually Mrs. H agreed to return to the lunch Using the internet has awoken a passion in Vera for club, first with the worker and then with assistance from learning. Because World War II started when she was volunteers. Mrs. H enjoyed it and now attends regularly, 11, her education was interrupted and she is enjoying also joining in chair-based exercises. learning new things – something she feels she missed out on. Vera feels much closer to the people around her now Attending these groups without her husband has been a and doesn’t panic so easily when she is on her own as she big step in improving Mrs. H’s confidence in doing things can look things up on the internet or email her family. alone, regaining some independence. In the meantime, Vera feels more relaxed and content now and isn’t scared grab rails have been fitted and Mr. H is now able to leave of trying new things. She feels like she has really done the house; they have started to attend regular social and something good for herself and her future. physical activities together again. 17 Learning Facilitation The Time to Shine learning facilitator delivered a ‘Transitions into Retirement’ course, in partnership with . One attendee, Mrs. P said that the thought of retirement really frightened her, as her husband had recently been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and she had no idea what she wanted to do or how she would cope if she left work.

The course helps people to change the perception of retirement from a negative ‘ending’ to a positive ‘beginning’ and to consider what will make them happy. At the end of the course Mrs. P announced to the whole group that she had decided to make a formal request for retirement.

The course had helped her to realise that she wanted to seize the opportunities that she and her husband have now instead of waiting. The difference in her manner was amazing. Mrs. P literally was walking taller when she left. The weight of uncertainty had been taken off her and she felt free to take advantage of what her life had to offer. Credit: Lizzie Coombes & Peter Spafford

18 Time to Shine is only as good as the partners who make it happen. Over the past two years we’ve worked with some amazing organisations who have Thank helped to connect older people, teaching us what works and what doesn’t. Special thanks to the projects which have come to an end and the partners You... who delivered them:

• Young at Arts • Farnley Friendly Faces (Yorkshire Dance and the LEAF Partnership) (Neighbourhood Action in Farnley, New Farnley and Moor Top) • Walk with Me (Feel Good Factor) • Walk and Talk ( Live at Home) • Senior Networks A.G.E. (Action for Elderly) • Carers' Project (Association of Blind Asians) • Raat di Roti (Touchstone) • That Friday Feeling Goes Gardening • Street Links (Richmond Hill Elderly Action) (That Friday Feeling) • Calling Carers (Carers Leeds)

Thanks also to our Core Partnership and the many volunteers who contribute their time and dedication to learning about how to overcome social isolation.

Together we can make Leeds a great city to grow old in. 19 Time to Shine is managed by Leeds Older People’s Forum (LOPF) and funded by the Big Lottery Fund using National Lottery funding.

Core partnership members, many who are over 50, steer the programme and make strategic decisions, working closely with the Time to Shine staff team and the LOPF board of trustees.

 www.timetoshineleeds.org  @ttsleeds  facebook.com/timetoshineleeds  0113 244 1697  [email protected]  C24 Joseph's Well Leeds, LS3 1AB

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