Stuart Murray Age Concern Wigan Borough Elaine Jones & Joan Brogden Volunteer Researchers Wigan Borough

What is the project? Aims to investigate ways in which older people manage potential/actual loneliness and isolation Promote strategies that help to prevent and reduce loneliness and isolation Support healthy and active ageing Influence local, regional & national policy

Project plan Phase One Initial exploration of experiences through focus groups Recruit and train volunteer researchers Phase Two Implementation of research designed to collect in depth insight from 150 older people Phase Three Evaluation Dissemination

Ways in which older people are involved with Focus groups to help with initial proposal Older Person’s Reference Group Steering Committee membership Stakeholder seminars Volunteer Researchers

What we have done so far…. Phase 1 of the project has been completed. Recruited and trained 10 volunteer researchers Literature review 5 Focus Groups Stakeholder Day Developed research design for Phase 2

Training programme Provide a common starting point Develop positive relationships Build confidence Validate the importance of personal experience Enable the sharing of ideas

Current activities… Phase 2 is ongoing and includes: Poster campaign Leafleting Presentations Individual interviews Group discussions

Key principles Should focus on the real life experiences of older people Should recognise the strength and resource of many older people in managing their lives Enable older people to contribute in a range of ways Raise awareness of the issue locally engaging local communities and agencies

Key objectives Identifying personal strategies Identifying organisational strategies Examining relationship between the two Individual and group interviews in selected townships Community mapping

Data collection Unsolicited narratives Face to face interviews Group discussions

Outcomes In depth qualitative data from 150 people over 50 years of age Qualitative reflective data from the research volunteers Identification of community and organisational support

Development work Programme running alongside the research phases Supporting the research Extending local networks Tracking opportunities to link research to wider health and social care agenda Anticipating dissemination programme Arts development project

Volunteer Researchers Why? ? Tap into existing skills, knowledge and experience Enable access to places and people Active involvement and participation

Reasons for volunteering To help people as much as possible To help improve services for older people in Wigan To learn how to become a researcher To keep active To ward off depression

Volunteers comments Reflective evaluation Challenging Stimulating Developing new skills Rewarding Good team working

ANY QUESTIONS

Contact details sayinghelloproject- sayinghelloproject- or Telephone: Pat Waywell or Stuart Murray at Age Concern Wigan Borough on