Projects we support to confront isolation

In Autumn 2011 Islington Giving launched its first open call, for innovative projects working to confront isolation with older people and people with mental health difficulties. Below are the projects which Islington Giving is now funding to make a real difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

You can read more about the programme at our blog over at the lovely people from Simpl here

Centre 404

Centre 404′s window box scheme sends volunteers on home visits to help older people and vulnerable people who don’t get out of the house often to set up window boxes. Islington has the smallest amount of green space of anywhere in London so this scheme not only brings some much needed greenery but also gets volunteers sharing a cup of tea and chat with people who would otherwise be isolated. You can find out how to volunteer for the programme here.

Family Action Islington – Stay and Play

Family Action Islington will use their funding from Islington Giving to run a stay and play on weekends and during the holidays for parents with mental health and complex issues to spend time with their older children whilst younger children stay in a creche. In families with complex needs, older children too often have to take on responsibility young and this will provide a relaxed social setting for parents and children at times when families facing difficulties can struggle.

Super Seniors

Holloway Neighbourhood Group’s lively group of older people, the Super Seniors will be working with Help on your Doorstep to actively increase their members, in particularly focussing on getting more older men involved. There will be workshops on IT including Twitter, Digital Photography as well as Saturday Tea Dances.

Islington MIND

MIND will be opening their centre at Despard Road on Saturdays for activities and social events for the first time. This comes from the peopel who use the centre at the moment as they find the weekends an isolating time. This will also provide a social space rather than structured activities and will be run by a team of 10 volunteers.

Body and Soul – Scenes from Life

Scenes From Life is an evening arts and social activity group for adults with HIV which will work with 11 Islington residents, many of whom are refugees who have suffered trauma.

Manor Gardens Friendship Phone Network

The Friendship Phone Network recruits volunteers who go into Older People’s homes to provide computer training. They set them up with a computer and give them one to one support to get going. Most of the older people taking part had no prior experience of using computers and want to be able to use them to communicate with their family and friends, to do their shopping online and play games. The project is looking for volunteers and for businesses who can donate computers to be refurbished. Find out how you can help here

Islington Community Canal Boat

Angel II canal boat will be putting on 12 extra trips on the Regent’s Canal for participants to find out about the local history and wildlife of the area, take part in cooking and arts activities and help in operating the boat. Angel Community Canal Boat are working with many local groups to make sure that some of the most isolated people in the community get the chance to take advantage of this opportunity.