Learning from Ageless Thanet
We've identified 7 key lessons that we hope will be useful to others running similar projects:
- Co-production
- Understanding and removing barriers
- Flexibility by design
- Building relationships
- Having respect
- Challenging stereotypes
- Working with others and having fun
Our learning reports below showcase what we achieved over seven years, but also what we’ve learnt and what we think would be beneficial for others to know if they were setting up a similar project. We've also shared this learning through five dissemination events and you can download slides from these.
To read reports from other projects that are part of the national Ageing Better programme, visit Ageing Better page on the National Lottery Community Fund website.
Executive Summary
This executive summary condenses our series of learning reports into seven key lessons and
accompanying examples.
Making Thanet A Great Place to Grow Older - Final Report
This final report draws together our achievements and learning from the last seven years and showcases our ongoing legacy. (March 2022)
Taking a Different Approach to Volunteering
This learning report shows how we put volunteers at the heart of the project, providing flexible opportunities to involve and empower our community.
Covid-19: Reacting to a crisis
When COVID-19 hit, Social Enterprise Kent and Ageless Thanet responded to support lonely and isolated people during this difficult time.
Planning for Later Life
Our life planning service helped with fundamentals like finances and housing as a first step to reducing loneliness and isolation.
Life Planning and Social Prescribing - download slides
See how we addressed the links between poverty and social isolation.
Wellbeing Activities to Reduce Lonliness and Isolation
Improving physical and mental wellbeing for over 50s was a key aim of Ageless Thanet. Here's how we reached people and improved lives.
Social Prescribing Pilot
Learnings from our Social Prescribing pilot project helped pave the way for Social Enterprise Kent and partners to improve wellbeing across Kent.
Ageless Thanet Community Fund Report
See how our Community Fund helped to get many small organisations access funding for the first time.
Co-Production
Find out how doing with, rather than doing to, made all the difference to the success of Ageless Thanet and how to co-create with your communities.
The Ageless Thanet Feelgood Factory
Find out how our Margate hub brought the community together for exercise and social activity, building networks to reduce loneliness and boost wellbeing.
Microfunding Community Groups - download slides
See how we broke down barriers for small grassroots organisations and individuals to access funding.
Wellbeing Activities and Volunteering - download slides
See how we recruited volunteers and worked with the wider community.
Age Friendly Toolkit - download
To find out more about what it means to be Age-Friendly, please take a look at our Toolkit to see what steps you can take.
