Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 38 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
This winter shorter days and time spent indoors — combined with the impact of the pandemic —will leave many feeling disconnected. That’s why we’ve been busy connecting our community through technology training, running winter social clubs, and creating one-to-one friendships, increasing the confidence and wellbeing of our neighbours.
The digital divide has been exacerbated over the last 18 months. Before the pandemic, 11.9 million people in the UK lacked digital skills and 52% of those people were aged over 60. But the impact of a global pandemic has meant that more people than ever feel disconnected and, as a result, lonely. The need for connection is now more crucial than ever.
This year, we are taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge to support our winter social activities bringing people together through tech, to break down the barriers that can make the world an isolating and lonely place for younger and older neighbours alike.
You can support our campaign now and your donation will instantly double in size!
Since March 2020, we started working together with younger neighbours to help older neighbours get online. This includes neighbours like Liz (70), who after getting support to join Zoom told us “having time together and a purpose at the moment, when you are on your own is so useful".
We've seen many older neighbours thriving online, not only joining our Virtual Social Clubs but also using tech to catch up with family and independently use online services. And this has also opened up new ways for our volunteers to help and get involved. Like Roohi, who joined a recent Tech Social Club and told us: "I just want to say I’ve had a lovely hour with Lynne, we did a bit of tech and then just talked about anything and everything"
What started out as older and younger people tackling the digital world together, has turned into new opportunities for friendships and connection, and this is what bringing people together through tech is all about.