Introducing 3G Social Clubs

It's no secret that there are generational divides in the UK. For years, statistics have shown that older and younger people are living in increasing segregation from one another. Indeed, new research published by United For All Ages last month shows how Britain is one of the most age segregated countries anywhere in the world.

The Cares Family has been working to bridge that gap for nearly nine years. Through North London Cares, South London Cares, Manchester Cares, Liverpool Cares and East London Cares, 17,500 older and younger neighbours have shared 450,000 interactions and 80,000 hours at 4,000 social clubs and through 20,000 hours of one-to-one time.

Now, The Cares Family is trialling new work – and introducing our brand new 3G Social Clubs.

The 3G (three generation) clubs will bring together older people, new parents and their very young children to share time, laughter, new experiences and friendships in the traditional Cares Family way – through inclusive, fun, mutually-beneficial, place-based activities.

We've started this project for several reasons. First, because older and younger people have repeatedly told us over recent years how animated they've felt through their relationships with another generation – and they wanted to expand the numbers and ages of people who could benefit from those interactions.

Secondly, we've heard from many of the younger neighbours who are part of The Cares Family's local activities in London, Liverpool and Manchester how much they love to bring their own children along to meet their older friends, and those older neighbours have told us how much they get out of those occasional interactions too.

Third, as The Cares Family continues to diversify the ways in which we work to help more people across the UK find connection in our disconnected age, we're excited to pilot our first new project that will teach us so much about bringing people together in new ways.

Finally, we're excited to work with so many local partners in Waltham Forest and Haringey – new areas to The Cares Family – and to explore the further scalability of our work.

We already know that ripples of innovation – from the famous Old People's Home for Four Year Olds TV show, to Songs and Smiles, to Apples and Honey – are now building into a wave of activity and increased awareness about the power of intergenerational connection to improve lives and reduce division. With National Intergenerational Week coming up in March, we're excited to contribute to that wave.