Talk, Eat, Drink (TED) Ageing Better in East Lindsey is part of Ageing Better, a programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. Ageing Better aims to develop creative ways for people aged 50 and over to combat social isolation and loneliness. It is one of five major programmes set up by The National Lottery Community Fund to test and learn from new approaches to designing services which aim to make people’s lives healthier and happier.

TED is managed by YMCA Lincolnshire and the report provides an understanding on volunteering. Volunteers have been and remain crucial to Ageing Better nationally and locally, serving to promote programme reach, connect people and promote social participation. They are central in ensuring Ageing Better’s impact continues after March 2022. In this learning report the TED in East Lindsey team reflect on ‘volunteering’ in group settings, be these place-based or ‘virtual’. The importance of language and modes of engagement are explored along with aspects of the programme which can be drawn on to act as signposts to sustainable services and impact. It draws on case study approaches, volunteer, staff and wider stakeholder interviews, as well as reviews of existing learning and monitoring data collected over the 7 years of the programme.

To access the learning report: ‘Keep Ageing Better: The Role of Volunteers in Group Dynamics and Legacy’ click here.