A SOUTHAMPTON charity dedicated to reducing loneliness and isolation in the city is partnering with a care home to launch a new joint venture – the Young Visitors Project (June 2023).
Communicare is working with Northlands House Bupa Care Home as part of its ongoing efforts to encourage multigenerational interaction as a way of boosting beneficial socialisation for all ages.
Annie Clewlow, Manager of Communicare, says: “During the last year, we’ve developed several community partnerships aimed at achieving our vision of encouraging multigenerational interactions. This Young Visitors Project is our latest venture and we recently held our inaugural gathering.
“Going forward young people, aged 16-18, will be visiting Northlands House Bupa Care Home, supported by experienced Communicare volunteers. They will join in with both group activities and room visits organised by the care home.
“We know that the young people will gain confidence and fulfilment by connecting with the residents, as well as reducing isolation for those they are visiting. We also hope to see some of the youngsters stay on with us, as once they turn 18, they will be able visit other service users in their homes.
“With this project, the care home residents are volunteers too, as they are helping both to train the young people for us and to give them an insight into relating to people whose life experiences may have been very different from their own.”
Northlands House Bupa Care Home offers nursing and respite care, as well as convalescence and palliative care. The purpose-built home provides support for those aged 65 plus.
Helen Cousins from Northlands House Bupa Care Home says: “We’re delighted to be involved with this new project because it’s going to give our residents the opportunity to see and spend time with younger people and to find out from them their thoughts for the future.”
The youngers will come from various schools including King Edward VI School Sixth Form in Southampton. One of the volunteers is Gabriella Tchuenkam from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in Eastleigh.
She says: “I’m delighted to join this wonderful project because working in a care setting has always been a place I enjoy. I’m sure this project will help us learn new skills that we can apply in the future.”
Communicare, which is a friendly, neighbourhood charity, provides services that enrich the lives of isolated people in and around Southampton.
Its services are staffed by its devoted volunteers, known as Communiteers, who give their time freely.
The charity is currently supporting around 600 individuals/families through tasks including, befriending, transport for appointments and assistance with shopping.
The services Communicare provides are free to users, although beneficiaries are invited to make a donation if they are able to, and Communiteers are offered expenses.
Visits to Northlands House Bupa Care Home will begin on July 8 and the programme is still open to other young people wishing to join. Please email enquiry@communicareinsouthampton.org.uk or call 023 82 50 0050.
To find out about the Young Visitors Project, please visit www.communicareinsouthampton.org.uk.
