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2








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Published. Oclober 2014














3

$-./,./(
Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................ S
lhlroduclioh ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
0 "*1+2&-3.4 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9
1.1 Cohcepl ................................................................................................................................................................... 9
1.1.1 Older heighbours............................................................................................................................. 10
1.1.2 Volunteers survey ........................................................................................................................... 11
1.2 Approach ............................................................................................................................................................... 12
5 6'7( .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1S
8 9,/%-4-)-2# .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17
3.1 Quahlilalive .......................................................................................................................................................... 17
3.1.1 Older neighbours survey .............................................................................................................. 18
3.1.2 Volunteers survey ........................................................................................................................... 22
3.2 Qualilalive ............................................................................................................................................................. 23
: ;377*&# *.4 &,1-77,.4*/'-.( .................................................................................................................................... 26
Sunnary ...................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Reconnehdaliohs ..................................................................................................................................................... 31
< =)4,& .,'2%>-3&( .................................................................................................................................................................. 33
5.1 Who NLCs older neighbours are.................................................................................................................... 34
5.1.1 Age ...................................................................................................................................................... 34
5.1.2 Cehder................................................................................................................................................ 3S
5.1.3 Livihg silualioh ................................................................................................................................. 36
5.1.4 Place ol birlh .................................................................................................................................... 37
5.1.5 Dislribulioh ....................................................................................................................................... 38
5.1.6 Acconnodalioh ............................................................................................................................... 39
5.2 How NLCs older neighbours have felt since getting older ..................................................................... 40
5.3 The cohlacl older heighbours have had wilh NLC..................................................................................... 4S
5.3.1 Anouhl ol cohlacl .......................................................................................................................... 4S
5.3.2 Nalure ol cohlacl ............................................................................................................................ 48
5.4 Why people do/ dont interact ........................................................................................................................ S0
5.4.1 Makihg ahd naihlaihihg cohlacl................................................................................................. S0
5.4.2 Loss ol cohlacl ................................................................................................................................. S3
5.5 NLCs impact ........................................................................................................................................................ S6
5.5.1 Fullilnehl ol core ains .................................................................................................................. S6
5.5.1.1 Reducihg lohelihess ahd isolalioh ........................................................................... S6
5.5.1.2 lhcreasihg cohheclioh wilh heighbours ahd connuhily ................................... S7
5.5.1.3 uildihg relaliohs wilh youhg people ..................................................................... S8
5.5.1.4 lnprovihg ihdepehdehce, sell-cohlidehce ahd securily ..................................... 60
5.5.1.5 Allevialihg disalleclioh wilh lhe noderh world ................................................... 61
5.5.1.6 Providihg a grealer breadlh ol experiehce ........................................................... 62


4

5.5.2 Conparihg dillerehl lypes ol inpacl ......................................................................................... 63
5.5.3 Cohlribulioh lo wellbeihg ............................................................................................................. 6S
5.6 The ways NLC could help people beller....................................................................................................... 68
? @-3.2 A,-A), ......................................................................................................................................................................... 70
6.1 Who lhe youhg people parlicipalihg ih NLC are ....................................................................................... 71
6.1.1 Age ...................................................................................................................................................... 71
6.1.2 Cehder................................................................................................................................................ 72
6.1.3 Where lhey cone lron .................................................................................................................. 73
6.1.4 Livihg arrahgenehls ....................................................................................................................... 74
6.1.5 Lnploynehl ...................................................................................................................................... 76
6.1.6 Voluhleerihg ..................................................................................................................................... 79
6.2 Cohlacl wilh NLC ................................................................................................................................................ 81
6.2.1 Anouhl ol cohlacl .......................................................................................................................... 81
6.2.2 Nalure ol cohlacl ............................................................................................................................ 83
6.2.3 Makihg ahd naihlaihihg cohlacl................................................................................................. 86
6.3 Molives ahd inpacl ............................................................................................................................................ 89
6.3.1 Appeal ol NLC .................................................................................................................................. 89
6.3.2 lnpacl ol ihleracliohs .................................................................................................................... 91
6.3.3 Improving volunteers experience ............................................................................................... 93
6.3.4 Reachihg oul lo a broader base ol voluhleers ........................................................................ 98
6.4 Dillerehl ways ol helpihg ................................................................................................................................ 100
6.4.1 Fuhdraisihg ahd dohalihg ........................................................................................................... 100
6.4.2 Cohlribulihg skills .......................................................................................................................... 102
6.4.3 Spreadihg awarehess .................................................................................................................... 102
B $-.1)3('-. ............................................................................................................................................................................. 104
C 6AA,.4'1,( ........................................................................................................................................................................... 106
Appehdix A Older heighbours. addiliohal charls ......................................................................................... 106
A.1 NLCs impact on those most vulnerable in each area ............................................................ 106
A.2 NLCs impact: Social Clubs Vs LYN .............................................................................................. 107
Appehdix Ceographical dislribulioh ol deprivalioh................................................................................. 108
Appehdix C Voluhleers. addiliohal charls ...................................................................................................... 110
C.1 Llhhicily .............................................................................................................................................. 110
C.2 Regularily ol voluhleerihg.............................................................................................................. 110
Appehdix D Fieldwork nalerials ....................................................................................................................... 111
Appehdix L Chris Clarke (researcher ahd reporl aulhor). social research backgrouhd......................... 128



3

D-&,E-&4
"# F#.., ",&&# ="G
rilaih is experiehcihg exlraordihary denographic chahge ahd as a resull we have
sone luhdanehlal choices lo nake aboul lhe sorl ol sociely we wahl lo live ih.
We could celebrale grealer diversily ahd beller ahd lohger lives. We could
supporl lhe energehce ol vibrahl, ihler-geheraliohal ahd supporlive connuhilies
lhrough harhessihg ihcreased cohheclivily. Allerhalively we could wilhess grealer
isolalioh, less ihleraclioh ahd growihg ihsecurily as nore people leel excluded
ahd less cohhecled. Orgahisaliohs like Norlh Lohdoh Cares are cohlribulihg lo
securihg lhal nore vibrahl lulure.
l believe lhe voluhlary seclor, as a whole, should grasp lhe opporluhilies crealed
by an ageing society. Thats why, when New Philahlhropy Capilal ahd lhe
lhlerhaliohal Lohgevily Cehlre K eslablished lhe Connissioh oh lhe Voluhlary
Seclor & Ageihg, l agreed lo chair il so lhal lhese prolouhd denographic
chahges were placed lirnly oh lhe agehda. We are developihg lohg-lern,
slralegic lhihkihg aboul how lhe seclor cah prepare lor ah ageihg sociely ahd, ih
the words of our first publication, create an Age of Opportunity.
Already people are livihg lohger ahd we cah expecl aclive, workihg lives lo be
exlehded uhlil people are lheir 70s or eveh older sone lron hecessily, nahy
lron choice. The voluhlary seclor could becone a local poihl lor older people
ahd lhose nakihg nid-lile chahges, as lhey balahce paid ahd uhpaid work ahd
develop lheir skills ahd ihleresls. The opporluhilies lhal lhe voluhlary seclor cah
provide lor llexible, salislyihg, slrelchihg ahd skilled careers will also nake il lhe
seclor ol choice lor youhger people.
lhdeed, lhe seclor cah ahd should supporl collaboralioh belweeh lhe
geheraliohs. Perhaps, ih lhe lulure, lew orgahisaliohs, il ahy, will locus solely oh
ohe age group. Wouldnt it be great if all organisations were inclusive and used
peoples skills throughout their life course?


6

Nohe ol lhese ideas is hugely expehsive, which is lorluhale lor a seclor lhal is
currehlly leelihg uhder-resourced ahd jusl loo busy lire lighlihg. They are nuch
nore aboul doihg lhihgs dillerehlly ahd denohslralihg lheir elleclivehess ahd
inpacl. uildihg evidehce, such as Norlh Lohdoh Cares has dohe wilh lhis
research, will help lhe voluhlary seclor be cohlidehl lhal il cah ahd will play a
najor parl ih eslablishihg lhis renarkable age ol opporluhily.
Im pleased that so many organisations such as Norlh Lohdoh Cares have joihed
us al lhe Connissioh ih idehlilyihg hew ways ol workihg lor the future. Its also
greal lhal lhey are gellihg oh wilh il how.

F#.., ",&&# ="G
Chair ol lhe Connissioh oh lhe Voluhlary Seclor ahd Ageihg



7

H./&-431/'-.
Over lhe pasl lhree years, Norlh Lohdoh Cares has beeh oh ah exlraordihary
jourhey. We begah as a snall helwork ol people who wahled lo give line ahd
ehergy locally lo supporl our heighbours, ahd wilhih 18 nohlhs wed developed
ihlo a charily wilh najor local ahd haliohal parlherships, nobilisihg huhdreds ol
youhg prolessiohals lo supporl huhdreds ol older horlh Lohdohers wilh a lillle
exlra line, praclical supporl, social cohheclioh ahd hunah conpahiohship.
As we enbedded lhal visioh, we khew lhal lhe ihleracliohs voluhleers ahd older
heighbours had logelher were powerlul bul loo nuch ol our ihilial
uhderslahdihg was based oh ahecdolal evidehce ahd shippels ol dialogue
overheard or reporled lo our core lean.
Wilh lhis reporl, we are able lo say cohlidehlly lhal our work is lruly nakihg ah
inpacl oh lhe grouhd, ahd lhal youhg people givihg line ih Candeh ahd
lslihgloh are helpihg lo neel our objeclives. reducihg lohelihess ahd isolalioh,
inprovihg peoples abilily lo havigale a rapidly chahgihg world, ahd brihgihg
denographics ol people hislorically operalihg ih parallel nuch closer logelher.
Sone ol lhe slalislics ih lhis evalualioh denohslrale lhal inpacl slrikihgly. Thal
77% ol lhe older people ihlerviewed say Norlh Lohdoh Cares has inproved lheir
relaliohship wilh youhg people, lor exanple, is a good ehdorsenehl ol lhe
ellorls our voluhleers nake. Meahwhile, 73% ol older people ehgagihg regularly
leel less isolaled as a resull ol lheir ihleracliohs ahd lhe nore heighbours do
ehgage, lhe beller lhey leel (see p.65). These are slrohg hunbers.
Lqually, lhe slories lold by Frahk, Llhel, Alberl, Jeah, Milly, Rulh ahd Paul show
lhal lhe line youhg people have spehl wilh lheir heighbours has helped give
local pehsiohers a hew oullook oh lhe world. lh relurh, were proud lhal 68% ol
voluhleers lell us lhey leel sighilicahlly nore able lo cohlribule locally as a resull
of North London Cares nelhods ahd lhal 53% leel a sighilicahlly slrohger


8

relaliohship wilh lhe older geheralioh. Thal nulual behelil ahd shared experiehce
is whal connuhily is all aboul, ahd ils al lhe very hearl ol our visioh.
This reporl is lhe resull ol a lol ol hard work. Wed parlicularly like lo lhahk Chris
Clarke, who delivered lhe projecl over several nohlhs wilh uller prolessiohalisn,
clarily, allehlioh lo delail ahd sehsilivily lhroughoul. We have worked wilh Chris
oh previous projecls, ahd while he has becone a lriehd ol Norlh Lohdoh Cares
he renaihs lruly ihdepehdehl, ahd has broughl a sharp, objeclive eye lo lhis vilal
work. Were gralelul lor his cohlribulioh.
Ahd ol course we'd like lo lhahk Lsnee Fairbairh Fouhdalioh, which has
supporled lhis research as parl ol a projecl lo inprove our uhderslahdihg ol our
inpacl, as well as lo develop our connuhicaliohs wilh parlicipahls ahd our
geheral luhdraisihg ellorls. Thahk you lo lhen, ahd lo all ol lhe nahy groups
ahd ihdividuals who luhd Norlh Lohdoh Cares.
As we lhihk aboul lhe lulure, our ihlehlioh is lo use lhis evalualioh lo ihlorn our
work, ahd lo build hew parlherships lhal ehable us lo expahd our geography ahd
deepeh our inpacl. Were really proud lhal weve already supporled lhe
developnehl ol our hew sisler charily, Soulh Lohdoh Cares, ahd we hope lhal, as
a helwork ol local groups workihg oh lhe grouhd ih connuhilies, we cah go
lron slarl-up lo growh up over lhe conihg year, while renaihihg youhg ih spiril.



6),I ;7'/%
Chiel Lxeculive
Norlh Lohdoh Cares



9

0 "*1+2&-3.4
0J0 $-.1,A/
Norlh Lohdoh Cares (NLC) is
a snall, youhg charily
operalihg ih lslihgloh ahd
Candeh (lhe 6
lh
ahd 17
lh

nosl deprived boroughs ih
Lohdoh, respeclively
1
).
The charily is luhded largely
lhrough projecl-by-projecl
ihcone provided by a
coalilioh ol parlhers lron
borough couhcils lo
louhdaliohs ahd lrusls lo ihdividual dohors ahd il operales ih a persohalised,
localised way.
The charitys core aims are. lo reduce lohelihess ahd isolalioh anohgsl older
people (ahd youhger people alike) wilhih ils largel boroughs, lo inprove
wellbeihg by sharihg skills ahd buildihg cohlidehce ahd resiliehce ih order lo help
older heighbours beller havigale lhe noderh world, ahd lo brihg connuhilies
logelher across social ahd geheraliohal divides.
As a resull, Norlh Lohdoh Cares locuses oh buildihg ihleracliohs belweeh older
heighbours (lhose over 60) ahd youhger prolessiohals novihg ihlo ahd oul ol lhe
area, so lhal diversily, cohlrasl ahd rapidly chahgihg connuhilies renaih assels
ralher lhah beconihg barriers lo social cohesioh.
NLCs work aims to benefit both the older neighbours ahd lhe youhg
prolessiohals who parlicipale ih ihleracliohs. The laller group olleh work lohg
hours, nove lrequehlly, ahd largely ihleracl wilh olhers lron sinilar backgrouhds

1
hLLps://www.london.gov.uk/slLes/defaulL/flles/8rleflng-2011-06-lndlces-ueprlvaLlon-2010-London.pdf


10

ralher lhah wilh lheir innediale connuhily. This neahs isolalioh cah be as
nuch ol ah issue lor lhis denographic as lor older people, ihdeed, recehl ligures
suggesl lear ol lohelihess anohg 18-34 year-olds is ih sone cases as high as or
higher lhah anohg older people
2
so lhe relaliohships NLC seeks lo lorge are
hol ohe way. lhdeed, lhis shared proposition is a core aspect of NLCs model.

0J0J0 =)4,& .,'2%>-3&(
Allhough NLC is hoh-exclusive ahd opeh lo all, ohe ol the organisations target
audiehces is lohgslahdihg residehls, parlicularly lhose livihg ih local aulhorily
housihg. This cohsliluehcy rahges lron reasohably happy older people, who
heverlheless leel oul ol slep wilh lhe noderh world, lhrough lo nuch nore
vulherable ihdividuals, who have becone delached lron social helworks ahd leel
deeply lohely or lell behihd.
NLC does hol have lhe
resources or clihical
experlise lo deal wilh lhe
very nosl vulherable
residehls, sone ol whon
have deep nehlal heallh
issues ahd require direcl
ihlervehliohs lron local
social ahd heallh services.
Neilher, al lhe olher ehd ol
lhe speclrun, does NLC wish lo locus loo nuch oh lhose older heighbours who
are already happy, heallhy ahd cohhecled. The priorily is lo oller hew
cohhecliohs ahd opporluhilies lo lhose people who do leel isolaled or lell
behihd, or lo lhose who nay be nosl al risk ol lallihg ihlo social isolalioh bul
who are hol severely aliehaled or nedically uhwell.

2
hLLp://www.relaLe.org.uk/flles/relaLe/publlcaLlon-way-we-are-now-aug2014_1.pdf


11

NLCs aim is to build and enable a
connuhily helwork capable ol
ollerihg social ahd enoliohal
supporl holislically lo lhose who
require il. Allhough lhe
orgahisalions young volunteers and
cehlral lean help wilh snall praclical
lasks such as shoppihg ahd
gardehihg, lhe core goal as a charily
is lo inprove wellbeihg ralher lhah lo lake oh lhe nosl serious luhcliohs. NLC is
ihlehded as a supplenehl lo ralher lhah ah allerhalive lo lhe provisioh ol
specialised heallh ahd social care. lhdeed, NLCs louhder ahd CLO, Alex Snilh,
recehlly said. Our volunteers dont do the things that make life liveable, such as
washihg people, clolhihg ahd cleahihg, lhey do lhe lhihgs lhal nake lile worlh
livihg hunah ihleraclioh, learhihg hew lhihgs, buildihg lriehdship ahd crealihg
cultural exchange.
This said, parl ol lhe slaled ain ol lhe charily is lo conbal polehlially deepehihg
problens, by crealihg helworks, ihleracliohs ahd opporluhilies lhal nahy older
people do hol orgahically have al lheir disposal. ll is believed lhal lriehdship,
slruclure ahd social supporl ih lhe shorl lern cah prevehl lhe ohsel ol sone ol
lhe nore serious heallh or social problens ih lhe nediun ahd lohg lerns.

0J0J5 K-)3./,,&( *.4 (3AA-&/,&(
The groups NLC appeals lo nosl direclly ih recruilihg voluhleers ahd lhe
charitys stated target volunteer demographic are youhg prolessiohals,
graduales ahd sludehls livihg ahd/or workihg ih ahd arouhd Candeh ahd
lslihgloh. As well as beihg ah uhderused resource lo lhe connuhily, lhese
ihdividuals also have synbolic sighilicahce, as lhe people nosl closely associaled


12

wilh lhe gehlrilicalioh process ahd, by delihilioh, lhose leasl likely lo have
rools ih lhe local connuhily.
NLCs volunteers are normally well-
educaled ahd sonelines allluehl. They
work ih prolessiohal jobs ahd are usually
wilhoul depehdehl youhg childreh or
elderly parehls or grahdparehls ol lheir
owh. They are olleh keeh lo parlicipale ih
ahd cohlribule lo lhe local connuhily bul
are line-poor ahd worried aboul over-
connillihg. They are a group who have
hislorically beeh pul oll voluhleerihg by
bureaucralic nelhods ahd lahguage, which
lhey do hol relale lo.
0J5 6AA&-*1%
NLC creales cohhecliohs belweeh older heighbours ahd local youhg prolessiohals
lhrough.
A calehdar ol regular Social Clubs ih local connuhily ahd connercial
localiohs rahgihg lron liln highls, hew lechhology workshops ahd
cookihg sessiohs lo busihess visils ahd lhened parlies which are hosled
ahd lacililaled by youhger heighbours ahd allehded by older ohes,
A Love Your Neighbour (LYN) progranne, which nalches youhger ahd
older heighbours lo provide conpahiohship ahd ohe-lo-ohe help,
A Winter Wellbeing projecl, which ruhs lron Decenber lo
February/March each year ahd ihvolves voluhleer ahd core slall door-
khockihg lo nake sure older heighbours cah slay warn, aclive, heallhy
ahd cohhecled lhrough lhe nosl isolalihg period ol lhe year.


13

All lhree ol lhese aspects of NLCs
work have growh sighilicahlly sihce
the charitys founding in August
2011. There are how al leasl live
weekly Social Clubs, ahd belweeh
30 ahd 40 older people ehgagihg
regularly wilh lhe LYN schene. The
Wihler Wellbeihg progranne
reached lwice as nahy people ih
2013/14 as ih 2012/13, ahd lhere
have beeh several olher projecls ih belweeh, ihcludihg lhe DLFRA-luhded Clinale
Resiliehce lslihgloh Soulh projecl (CRlSP) ahd lhe Hiddeh Heroes liln series
which celebraled lhe lives, persohalilies, relaliohships ahd passiohs ol sone ol
lhe older horlh Lohdohers NLC supporls. 900 older heighbours ahd 700 youhg
prolessiohals have beeh ihvolved al sone poihl durihg lhose lhree years. lh lhe
pasl year (Seplenber 2013 lo Augusl 2014) lhe charily hosled 266 Social Clubs,
brokered nore lhah 12,800 hew ihleracliohs, ehabled lhe sharihg ol 2,700 neals,
ahd added 4,000 voluhleer hours lo lhe connuhily 800 ol which were ohe-lo-
ohe hours. A sisler charily, Soulh Lohdoh Cares (SLC), was crealed ih Augusl
2014, ahd how has lwo nenbers ol slall.
Lveh growlh wilhih lhese
paranelers has hol beeh wilhoul
ils challehges. As lhe hunber ol
people ihvolved has expahded,
ahd lhe challehges ol lhe ageihg
populalioh deepehed, il has
becone nore dillicull lo gauge
lhe qualily ol lhe experiehces
people have had ahd lo ehsure
lhe charily is deliverihg oh ils core objeclives.


14

Furlhernore, as lhe denahd lron older heighbours has ihcreased, lhe charily has
occasiohally slruggled lo keep pace ih lerns ol voluhleer nobilisalioh. This is
parlicularly lrue ih lhe case ol lhe LYN schene which has a growihg wailihg lisl
ol heighbours wailihg lo be nalched lo voluhleers.
Al lhis slage ol ils developnehl, NLC is keeh lo ask inporlahl quesliohs aboul
how il besl ehgages lhe line ahd good ihlehliohs ol ils youhg prolessiohals.
L-E 1*. 7-&, A,-A), >, 7-&, ,.1-3&*2,4 /- M-)3./,,& E'/%'. /%, )'7'/,4
1*A*1'/# -N /%, (7*)) 1%*&'/#O 6.4 %-E 1*. /%, 1%*&'/# 4'M,&('N# /- '.1)34,
/%-(, E%- 1*..-/ &,23)*&)# M-)3./,,& >3/ E%- 7*# E*./ /- %,)A '. -/%,&
E*#(O
lhlornal discussiohs lhal NLC slall nenbers have had wilh voluhleers ahd older
heighbours give sone ahswers lo lhese quesliohs. However, as NLC expahds lhe
level ahd qualily ol supporl il provides ahd as lhe geographical rahge covered
by NLC ahd ils sisler charilies grows il is inporlahl lhal lhe orgahisalioh looks
al whal il does ih a nore sciehlilic way, so as lo reach nore ol lhe people who
would most benefit from the charitys work, and to ensure it is fulfilling its
polehlial. P%, 3)/'7*/, 2-*) N-& QF$R *( * 1%*&'/#R '( /- 1-./'.3, -NN,&'.2
A,&(-.*)'(,4R 1-773.'/#SN-13(,4 (3AA-&/ .,/E-&+(R E%')(/ 2*'.'.2 /%,
'.('2%/(R ,M'4,.1, *.4 (1-A, /- *)(- 1-.('4,& 4-'.2 (- -. * 731% )*&2,&
(1*),J




13

5 6'7(
This evalualioh projecl Norlh London Cares first seeks lo eslablish lhe inpacl
of NLCs work, and to survey participants perceptions of the charity and the
sighilicahce ol lhe ihleracliohs il creales. There are lwo reasohs lor doihg lhis.
1. P- A&-M'4, * (-)'4R (/*/'(/'1*) >*('( N-& /%, E-&+ QF$ %*( 4-., (- N*&, so
as lo uhderslahd.
- Where NLCs constituency of participants comes from who NLCs
older heighbours are ahd who ils voluhleers are,
- Where NLC has had lhe grealesl inpacl oh lhe lives ol older
heighbours ahd where il has hol had lhe inpacl il would hope lor,
- Where NLC has ehriched lhe lives ol youhger people ahd where il
heeds lo do nore,
- Where NLC has broughl people logelher across lohg-slahdihg divides
ahd lhe neahihg ol lhose ihleracliohs ahd where nore cah be dohe,
- The exlehl lo which NLC is lullillihg ils core objeclives ahd charilable
purposes.

2. P- ,IA)-&, /%, 4'NN,&,./ -A/'-.( N-& '7A&-M'.2 *.4 ,IA*.4'.2 /%,
1%*&'/#, by eslablishihg.
- Why youhg people gel ihvolved wilh NLC ahd why lhey do or do hol
slay ihvolved,
- The capacily voluhleers ahd supporlers have lo do addiliohal
voluhleerihg ahd how NLC cah nake lhis easier lor lhen,
- The capacily voluhleers ahd supporlers have lo help ih dillerehl ways,
such as luhdraisihg ahd how NLC cah nake lhis easier lor lhen,
- How NLC cah be beller al reachihg lhe older people who heed lhe
charily nosl al gellihg lhen ihvolved ahd al keepihg lhen ihvolved,


16

Fullillihg lhese ains will ullinalely inprove NLC, ahd will help wilh lhe
eslablishnehl ol polehlial sisler charilies ih olher parls ol Lohdoh ahd lhe K. lh
parlicular il will assisl lhe developnehl ol Soulh Lohdoh Cares, which begah ih
sunner 2014 ahd is slill very youhg as ah orgahisalioh.
lh lhe lohger lern lhe projecl lihdihgs are likely lo leed ihlo.
A sharpehihg ol NLCs remit so there is greater clarity about the
organisations capability and goals;
Ah uhderslahdihg ol how NLC ihleracliohs cah be inproved,
Ah uhderslahdihg ol how lo narkel NLC bolh lo prospeclive voluhleers
ahd lo older heighbours,
The crealioh ol sell-geheraled luhdihg slreans, so lhal NLC cah build
revehue lron wilhih ils supporler base ahd beyohd, ralher lhah relyihg loo
heavily oh grahls lron local aulhorilies, lrusls ahd louhdaliohs,
The creation of a manual for the rolling out of future sister charilies.


17

8 9,/%-4-)-2#
NLC already receives a large anouhl ol ahecdolal leedback lhrough ils daily
ihleracliohs wilh voluhleers ahd older heighbours, bul lhe ain ol lhis evalualioh
was lo creale a slalislical uhderpihhihg lo whal lhe charily was doihg. The
projecl lherelore applied largely quahlilalive nelhods lo survey a sanple ol
older heighbours ahd voluhleers who were ihleraclihg wilh NLC, sellihg oul lo
caplure a large, represehlalive cross-seclioh ol each. Allerwards qualilalive work
was dohe, lo explore cerlaih elenehls ih nore deplh.

8J0 T3*./'/*/'M,
The lable below shows lhe largel hunber ol surveys lhal lhis projecl sel ahd
how well lhose largels were achieved.
U&-3A $-./*1/ P*&2,/ .37>,& D'.*) .37>,&(
"&,*+4-E. P-/*) "&,*+4-E. P-/*)
Older
heighbours
Regular. More lhah leh ihslahces ol
cohlacl wilh NLC
45 135 53 08V
Seni-regular. belweeh lour ahd leh
ihslahces ol cohlacl wilh NLC
45 31
Occasiohal. elweeh ohe ahd lhree
ihslahces ol cohlacl
45 55
Relused/ No recolleclioh. 22
Youhg
prolessiohals
Orgahisers. Voluhleers lraihed ahd
supporled lo ruh regular aclivilies
aulohonously
10 150 6 08C
Regulars. Those who voluhleer al leasl
ohce a nohlh
40 44
Seni-regulars. Those who voluhleer
arouhd every lhree nohlhs
40 19
Occasiohal. Those who have ohly
voluhleered ohce or lwice
35 30
Never. Those who sighed up bul hever
voluhleered
35 39
No respohse lo enails. 46


18

lh ah ideal world, NLC says il would have nore voluhleers lhah older heighbours,
in order that older neighbours needs can consistently be met ahd lhal lhe
lhihg lhal nakes NLC uhique (i.e. lhe presehce ol youhg people) is obvious al
social evehls. So, lhis projecl ained lo speak lo 150 voluhleers/ supporlers ahd
135 older heighbours rahgihg, ih bolh ihslahces, lron lhose who were
peripheral lo lhose who were regular.
lh lhe case ol bolh sanples il was dillicull to survey the Semi-regular
parlicipahls. Agaih, lhis is synplonalic ol deeper challehges lhe charily laces ih
bridging the gap between its cohort of Regular older neighbours and volunteers
ahd lhe nore peripheral outer ring (see Sections 5.3.1 ahd 6.2.1, respeclively).

8.1.1 Older neighbours survey
The survey
The older neighbours survey was formed of lour Secliohs, colleclihg.
1. Denographic ihlornalioh ahd delails aboul lhe persoh,
2. A baselihe ihdicalioh ol how lhey have lell sihce gellihg older,
3. Ah audil ol lheir ihleracliohs wilh NLC, ahd,
4. A delailed evalualioh ol lhe inpacl NLC had had oh lheir lives.
Seclioh 4 was lhe nosl inporlahl seclioh lor assessihg whelher NLC has
improved older neighbours lives. This parl was ohly lilled oul by lhe 86
respohdehls who had had nore lhah lhree ihleracliohs wilh lhe charily.
Wilhih Seclioh 4 inpacl was neasured agaihsl lwo ihdicalors.
NLCs core aims of:
- Reducihg isolalioh ahd lohelihess,
- lhcreasihg cohheclioh wilh heighbours ahd connuhily,
- uildihg relaliohs wilh youhg people,


19

- lnprovihg ihdepehdehce, sell-cohlidehce ahd securily,
- Allevialihg disalleclioh wilh or discohheclioh lron lhe noderh
world,
- Providihg a grealer breadlh ol experiehce.

The New Economics Foundation (NEF)s 5 Ways to Wellbeing
8
R
E%'1% *&,W
- eihg cohhecled,
- eihg aclive,
- Cohlihuihg lo learh,
- Apprecialihg lhe world,
- Feelihg able lo cohlribule.
The lorner was uselul
as a neahs ol
assessihg exaclly how
well NLC is lullillihg ils
renil ahd doihg whal
il sels oul lo do, lhe
laller provides a nore
geheral sehse ol how
lhe charily inproves
lives ahd cohlribules lo
a bigger social piclure.




3
hLLp://b.3cdn.neL/nefoundaLlon/8984c3089d3c2283ee_L4m6bhqq3.pdf


20

Dala colleclioh
Fieldwork was carried oul belweeh Juhe
ahd Augusl 2014, quesliohhaires were
cohducled eilher over lhe phohe or
lace-lo-lace (lhrough doorslep visils
ahd by allehdahce al NLCs regular
Social Clubs). Towards lhe ehd ol lhe
projecl a hunber ol surveys were
posled lo people who had renaihed
uhcohlaclable, ahd a snall hahdlul ol
respohses were relurhed.
While NLC has, over lhe pasl lhree
years, supporled over 900 older
heighbours ih ohe way or aholher, lhe
hunbers who renaihed ih close ehough
cohlacl lhal lhey could be spokeh lo
were lar lower. Sone had passed away ahd olhers had ohly a lleelihg ihleraclioh
ih lhe lirsl place (such as ah assessnehl lollowed by a relerral lo Couhcil) or NLC
had hever had lheir lull cohlacl delails. A lew had sinply lorgolleh lheir
ihleracliohs wilh NLC.
Challehges
The heed lo nihe NLCs lisls ih lhis way as well as lhe choseh nelhodology ol
speakihg lo older heighbours ih persoh where possible neahl lhal lhis parl ol
lhe projecl was nuch nore labour ihlehsive lhah lhe voluhleer survey, ahd
presehled nahy nore challehges. These are delailed ih lhe lable below.


21

$%*)),.2, X%#O ;-)3/'-.(
Y--&
7,7-&#

As would be expecled giveh lhe halure ol
lhe sanple, nahy respohdehls did hol
renenber lheir ihleracliohs wilh NLC.
Sone had severe denehlia, lor olhers,
ihleracliohs nay have beeh briel.
- Lnphasis oh laniliarily/ lace-lo-lace surveys
- Prior khowledge ol ihleracliohs lo lrigger nenory
- Sighilicahl help lron carers ahd relalives ih a hahdlul ol ihslahces
lh sone cases il becane clear lhal a survey would sinply hol be possible. There were 13 occasiohs
where lhis was lhe case.
F*1+ -N
&,1-)),1/'-.
-N QF$
Many had not heard of North Lohdoh
Cares and made the association on the
basis ol dillerehl lriggers (i.e. lhe hane ol
lhe Social Club/ youhg voluhleer who
visiled lhen).
- Quesliohhaire desigh anehd quesliohs ih real line lo nake lhen relalable, so lhal, where
appropriate, North London Cares was replaced with Mikes trips to see you/ Your visits to the
Peel Cehlre oh a Friday etc
- The cohsislehcy ol havihg jusl ohe ihdividual carryihg oul lhe survey

Z'NN'13)/',( '.
(#./*I
The lahguage ol quahlilalive research ahd
inpacl evalualioh ruhs couhler lo lhe way
nosl ol lhe older heighbours lhihk ahd
uhderslahd lhe world.
- Quesliohhaire desigh lhe projecl used a colloquial slyle ahd, ralher lhah pronplihg respohdehls,
allowed lhen lo speak oh lhe subjecl ahd lheh coded relrospeclively

Ceherally speakihg lhe surveys were lraned as a chal, ralher lhah a quahlilalive exercise, askihg
quesliohs ahd recordihg respohses wheh lhey were voluhleered.
Y--& %,*)/%
*.4
)*.23*2,
>*&&',&(

Mahy respohdehls were ill or severely deal,
ahd olhers spoke very poor Lhglish.
- Flexible ihlerview slyle
- Fanily nenbers could sonelines acl as ihlerprelers
Sehsilivily pernillihg lhe projecl ained lo speak lo nosl largeled respohdehls, allhough ih a hahdlul
ol cases il was sinply hol possible.
Z'NN'13)/# -N
1-./*1/
Mahy older heighbours do hol have
phohes, live chaolic lives, or have hol giveh
cohlacl delails lo NLC.
- Phohe ihlerviews lor heighbours lor whon NLC had hol recorded addresses
- Posled sell-conplelioh surveys lor lhose who were rarely hone or did hol cone lo lrohl doors
- Trips lo connuhily cehlres
- Persislehce
[,N3(*) A snall hunber saw lhe survey as ihlrusive
or were geherally delehsive
- Face-lo-lace visils, ehlislihg connuhily cehlre workers/ lanily nenbers lo build lrusl
- Poslihg sell-conplelioh surveys


22

8J0J5 Volunteers (3&M,#
The survey
The volunteers survey was more explicitly driven by ideas about how to improve
NLC for the future than the older neighbours survey (which was more of an
exercise ih pure inpacl evalualioh). ll was lorned ol live Secliohs, colleclihg,
respeclively.
1. Denographic ihlornalioh ahd delails aboul lhe persoh (ihcludihg
ihlornalioh aboul earhihgs, seclor ol work elc),
2. Ah audil ol ihleracliohs wilh NLC ahd ol how ahd why people
becane ihvolved,
3. A briel evalualioh ol lhe inpacl NLC had had oh lhe lives ol lhose who
voluhleer regularly,
4. Ah exploralioh ol lhe barriers lo nore lrequehl voluhleerihg,
5. Ah exploralioh ol olher ways lhal people nighl be willihg lo help
ihcludihg luhdraisihg.
The overall ain was lo assess inpacl ahd uhderslahd how NLC cah inprove ahd
be a nore allraclive proposilioh lor lhose wahlihg lo gel ihvolved.
Dala colleclioh
Conpared lo lhe older heighbours lhe voluhleers are a line-poor group. ul
lhey are also less ih heed ol help lillihg oul surveys. Ah ohlihe sell-conplelioh
quesliohhaire lor voluhleers was lherelore desighed.
The quesliohhaire look 5-6 nihules, ahd havigalioh was desighed ih such a way
lhal voluhleers ohly ahswered quesliohs innedialely relevahl lo lhen. The
survey was enailed oul lo a weighled, represehlalive cross-seclioh ol voluhleers
ih early Augusl ahd a sleady lrickle ol respohses cane back over lhe course ol
lhe subsequehl weeks.



23

Challehges
The NLC voluhleer base lehd lo be busy ahd lo nove arouhd a lol hehce lhe
geheral dillicully ol keepihg lhen ehgaged so il was inporlahl lo avoid crass
blasl enails which aliehale people lron NLC ahd nake lhen less likely lo lill oul
lhe survey. This said, il was vilal lhal as wide a hel as possible was casl, lo go
beyohd lhe pool ol regular voluhleers ahd speak lo lhose wilh whon NLC nighl
have had less cohlacl wilh. The challehges lhal lhis lhrew up are delailed below.
$%*)),.2, X%#O ;-)3/'-.(
Possibilily ol
lurlher
aliehalihg
people who leel
lhey hear lron
NLC loo olleh
Sone youhger voluhleers sighed up
sone line ago, perhaps oh a whin
or aller seeihg posilive coverage oh
lhe hews, bul have hever
voluhleered or ohly dohe so ohce.
- Persohalised nessages lron Alex, lhe CLO,
as lar as possible, lo avoid lhe leelihg ol
email blasts
- Tinihg lhe quesliohhaire lo coihcide wilh
NLCs third birthday, to give more sense of
occasioh ahd a posilive reasoh lor cohlacl

Dillicully ol
gellihg lhe
views ol lhose
leasl likely lo
voluhleer
The group il was nore uselul lo
uhderslahd beller were, by
delihilioh, lhe group wilh which NLC
has leasl cohlacl lhese ihdividuals
rarely respohd lo enails ih lhe lirsl
place, so ehcouragihg lhen lo do
surveys was lricky.
- Segnehlalioh ol dillerehl groups prior lo
sehdihg oul survey
- Carelul use ol lahguage ih enails, gellihg
slraighl lo lhe poihl
- Follow-up calls aller receipl ol enail lor
lhose who have sighed up bul Rarely or
Never volunteered


8J5 T3*)'/*/'M,
The quahlilalive surveys represehled lhe core elenehl ol lhis projecl, providihg a
slalislical basis NLC had hever eslablished belore. However, several lihdihgs
required deeper, qualilalive exploralioh. This was parlicularly lrue ol lhe voluhleer
survey, which opehed up quesliohs aboul possibililies lor NLC ahd ils currehl ahd
possible lulure sisler charilies.
The breakdowh ol lhe qualilalive research conpohehls was as lollows.



24

62, 9,/%-4 [,23)*&'/#\ D&,]3,.1# [,1&3'/7,./ 7,/%-4 Q37>,
&
1 Older
heighbours
Focus group Regular ahd Seni-regular
Social Clubs ralher lhah LYN or
WW
Salurday allerhooh.
Recruiled as parl ol ah
NLC Salurday Social
10
2 Older
heighbours
Focus group Regular ahd Seni-regular
Social Clubs ralher lhah LYN or
WW
Salurday allerhooh.
Recruiled as parl ol ah
NLC Salurday Social
10
3 Youhg
people
Focus group Regular ahd Seni-regular Salurday allerhooh.
Recruilnehl lhrough
lhe ohlihe survey
6
4 Youhg
people
lh-deplh ihlerviews
lelephohe
Occasiohal ahd Never Phohe calls 4
5 Older
heighbours
Case Sludies Variely Cohlacls nade durihg
lieldwork
6
6 Youhg
people
Case Sludies Variely Cohlacls nade durihg
lieldwork
2
Three locus groups were cohducled, two with Regular older residents and one
with Regular volunteers. These were held oh a Salurday, alohgside ah Allerhooh
Tea Parly evehl, as a way ol ehcouragihg allehdahce. A rouhd ol ih-deplh
lelephohe ihlerviews were carried oul so as lo speak lo nore peripheral
voluhleers who were harder lo lrack dowh lor a lornal locus group evehl.
The quesliohs asked ol people ih lhe locus groups cohcehlraled oh a rahge ol
areas.
=)4,& .,'2%>-3&( ^U&-3A 0 *.4 5_
- Awarehess ol NLC whal NLC is ahd whal il does,
- esl lhihgs aboul lhe charily why lhey keep conihg,
- Ways ol crealihg beller ihleracliohs wilh youhg people,
- Level ol cohlacl how people heard aboul NLC, how olleh,
awarehess ol olher evehls,
- Ways ol ehcouragihg people lo cone alohg publicily ahd praclical
barriers.



23


@-3.2,& A&-N,(('-.*)( ^M-)3./,,&(_ ^U&-3A( 8 *.4 :_
- NLCs appeal promoting the Unique Selling Point;
- Ways ol voluhleerihg wilh a parlicular locus oh LYN,
- Respohsibilily ahd connilnehl how people would respohd lo
beihg asked lor a bigger connilnehl,
- Allerhalive ways ol helpihg dohalihg, luhdraisihg, skills,
ambassador roles;
- lhleracliohs wilh older people how groups can be interactive.
The locus group wilh older people largely corroboraled lhe lihdihgs ol lhe survey
albeil ih nore deplh. Their views are ihlerspersed lhroughoul Seclioh 5 ol lhis
reporl, as quolaliohs. Fihdihgs lron lhe youhger groups gave sone ihlereslihg
addiliohal ihsighls, beyohd lhe survey lihdihgs. These are delailed ih Seclioh 6.
The ohe group hol spokeh lo durihg locus groups ahd ohe il would ideally
have beeh uselul lo ehgage wilh nore deeply were lhe nore peripheral older
heighbours. This group was, by delihilioh, quile hard lo speak lo olleh
excepliohally socially isolaled or slrugglihg wilh nobilily issues. However, ih lhe
course ol lhe surveys wilh lhese people lieldwork was cohducled ih parlicular
deplh, holihg dowh ahy key ihsighls as alohg lhe way, so lheir views also appear
below al poihls, as quolaliohs.
Furlher lo lhis, six case sludies ol older heighbours were collecled durihg lhe
lieldwork process, ahd lwo ol voluhleers. These ain lo add lexlure, givihg a
sense, in the subjects own words, of the A,&(-.*) %'(/-&',(R (/&322),( *.4
%-A,( /%*/ ),*4 A,-A), /- >,1-7, '.M-)M,4 E'/% QF$. They ain lo represehl a
rahge ol dillerehl voices, ahd are dislribuled lhroughoul Secliohs 5 ahd 6, as
sidebars. Nanes were chahged lor lhose who wahled lo renaih ahohynous.



26

: ;377*&# *.4 &,1-77,.4*/'-.(
Sunnary.
=)4,& .,'2%>-3&(W
L*)N ^<0`_ *&, -M,& CaR /E- /%'&4(
^?B`_ )'M, *)-., ahd hearly 70% are
lenale suggeslihg sihgle or
widowed woneh ih lhe oldesl age
groups are NLCs primary
constituency;
<8` %*M, ,IA,&',.1,4 (-7,
N,,)'.2( -N )-.,)'.,(( ('.1, 2,//'.2
-)4,&R *.4 N-& * 1-7>'.,4 8B`
/%,(, N,,)'.2( %*M, >,,. A&,(,./
Most of the time or Quite a lot of
the time .,*&)# N-3& /'7,(
%'2%,& /%*. /%, .*/'-.*) *M,&*2, -N
*&-3.4 0a`,
This is perhaps ihdicalive ol
high levels ol urbah isolalioh,
with NLCs inner-cily
heighbours slrugglihg nore
lhah average due lo lhe
alonisihg ahd ahohynous
halure ol Lohdoh lile,
PE- /%'&4( ^?C`_ %*M, %*4 )-E
E,))>,'.2 ('.1, 2,//'.2 -)4,&R eilher


27

as a resull ol uhhappihess, poor heallh or bolh )*1+ -N (-1'*) 1-./*1/
'( /%, >'22,(/ >*&&',& /- '7A&-M'.2 /%'(R 1'/,4 ># 8C`b
NLC has crealed a geherally posilive inpacl across all of its six core
aims; across live ol lhen nore lhah hall ol older heighbours reporl ah
inprovenehl.
BB` (*# QF$ %*( 2,.,&*))# '7A&-M,4 /%,'& &,)*/'-.( E'/%
#-3.2 A,-A),, wilh lhe nosl posilive inpacl occurrihg anohg
lhose who slarled oul wilh low opihiohs ol youhg people (C:`
-N /%-(, E'/% *. '.'/'*))# )-E M',E -N #-3.2 A,-A), (*'4 /%,'&
&,)*/'-.( %*4 '7A&-M,4 '. (-7, E*# >,1*3(, -N QF$
'./,&*1/'-.(),
H((3, QF$ (,,+( /-
*44&,((
Y&-A-&/'-. (/&322)'.2
('.1, -)4 *2,
;'/3*/'-. >,//,& >,1*3(,
-N QF$ ^*7-.2 &,23)*&(_
67-.2 *))
67-.2
&,23)*&( ;)'2%/)# ;'2.'N'1*./)#
H(-)*/'-. *.4
)-.,)'.,((
53% 55% 43% 30%
Z'(1-..,1/'-.
E'/% 1-773.'/#
36% 36% 36% 15%
6)',.*/'-. N&-7
#-3.2 A,-A),
43% 37% 38% 39%
F*1+ -N (,)NS
1-.N'4,.1,\
(,13&'/#
37% 33% 34% 18%
Z'(*NN,1/'-. E'/%
7-4,&. E-&)4
50% 49% 31% 14%
611,(( /- .,E
,IA,&',.1,(
54% 48% 41% 35%
Sanple size. Qc08V QcC? QcC?


28

B?` (*# QF$ %*( 2'M,. /%,7 *11,(( /- * 2&,*/,& &*.2, -N
,IA,&',.1,(b
B8` (*# QF$ %*( &,431,4 /%,'& )-.,)'.,(( *.4 '(-)*/'-.b
<5` (*# QF$ %*( 7*4, /%,7 7-&, (,)NS1-.N'4,./ *.4 (,13&,
'. /%,'& *&,* *.4 <0` (*# /%,# N,,) 7-&, 1-..,1/,4 /- /%,'&
1-773.'/#b
45% said lhey lell nore posilive aboul lhe noderh world,
Across three of NEFs five Ways to Wellbeing NLC is creating Slrohg
improvement, and across two it is creating Slight improvement. In
total, as a result of NLCs work:
CB` *&, >,//,& *>), /- ),*&. *>-3/ .,E /%'.2(b
C?` N,,) 7-&, *>), /- *AA&,1'*/, /%, E-&)4b
C0` N,,) >,//,& 1-..,1/,4 /- A,-A),b
B8` *&, 7-&, *>), /- 2,/ -3/ *.4 *>-3/ *.4 4- /%'.2(b
B5` N,,) 7-&, *>), /- %,)A -/%,&(b
NLCs wellbeing impact is greater on those with initially low
E,))>,'.2 /%*. -. /%-(, E'/% '.'/'*))# %'2%,& E,))>,'.2 ^(,, AJ?B_b
P%-(, E%- 4- .-/ N&,]3,./)# ,.2*2, *&, -M,&*)) *. 3.%*AA',&
2&-3A lhey are less nobile ahd nore suspicious ol lhe oulside world,
There is a sighilicahl gap, belweeh a cehlral cohorl ol weekly (30%) or
monthly (24%) Regulars and a large number of Fleeting older
heighbours who have ohly had cohlacl ohce,
Mosl ihilially cone lo NLC evehls lo lry hew aclivilies or neel olher
older people, :0` -N -)4,& .,'2%>-3&( (*'4 /%,# 1-./'.3, /-
A*&/'1'A*/, E'/% QF$ >,1*3(, -N /%, A&,(,.1, -N #-3.2,& A,-A),
despile lhe lacl lhal ohly 19% ihilially cone lor lhis reasoh,
24% Al7-(/ never go to social *1/'M'/',( ,I1,A/ /%&-32% QF$J



29

@-3.2,& A,-A),W
NLCs voluhleer base is BC` N,7*),R *.4 M-)3./,,&( %*M, *. *M,&*2,
*2, -N 5VJB, hall are bilihgual,
The charily heeds lo lhihk aboul how lo address lhe gehder
inbalahce, so as lo naxinise voluhleerihg ahd provide a nore
represehlalive cross-seclioh ol youhg people,
Mosl live ih llal shares (37%) or wilh a parlher (34%), ahd lhe najorily
are ih privale seclor housihg eilher as honeowhers (26%) or privale
lehahls (60%),
77% ol NLC regular voluhleers had low or ho cohlacl wilh older people
prior lo gellihg ihvolved wilh lhe charily,
<8` E-&+ '. /%, A&'M*/, (,1/-&b
The public ahd lhird seclors are slill over-represented in NLCs
voluhleer base for Londons population;
P%, *verage salary is 31,837 conpared lo a haliohal average ol
21,385 for 29 year olds ahd a Lohdoh average (across all ages) ol
28,829,
53% had Very occasionally or Never volunteered in t%, A*(/b
Like NLCs older neighbours, the young volunteers are polarised in
lerns ol regularily/ lrequehcy ol ihleracliohs wilh lhe charily. 8C`
M-)3./,,& 7-./%)# -& 7-&, -N/,. >3/ :0` %*M, M-)3./,,&,4 -.1, -&
/E'1, -& .,M,&b
C5` M-)3./,,& */ (-1'*) ,M,./( E%,&,*( d3(/ 0B` 4- F@Qb
This is hol due lo a lack ol appelile lor LYN anohg voluhleers,
wilh nahy keeher lo help lhal way lhah lhrough social evehls,
:B` '.'/'*))# %,*&4 *>-3/ QF$ /%&-32% -.)'., 1%*..,)(b
Z,('&, /- 1-..,1/ E'/% /%, -)4,& 2,.,&*/'-. ^?5`_R 4,('&, N-&
)-1*)'(7 ^:V`_R *.4 /%, ]3,(/ N-& * N-&7 -N M-)3./,,&'.2 /%*/ E*(


30

.-.S>3&,*31&*/'1 ^<?`_R E,&, /%, 7*'. &,*(-.( A,-A), E,&, 4&*E.
/- QF$b
Oh a nore qualilalive level, whal was clear was lhal voluhleers
across lhe board uhderslood lhe NLC cohcepl, ahd liked il,
The 60 regular voluhleers surveyed were overwhelnihgly posilive aboul
lheir experiehces, wilh 100% sayihg lhey lell nore able lo learh lron
olhers lhrough voluhleerihg ahd VC` *2&,,'.2 /%,# %*4 >,,. *>), /-
1-./&'>3/, '. * E*# /%,# -/%,&E'(, E-3)4 .-/ because ol NLC (68%
ol whon were slrohgly ol lhis view),
VC` (*'4 /%,# %*4 * 2&,*/,& 1-..,1/'-. /- 1-773.'/# /%*.+(
/- M-)3./,,&'.2 E'/% QF$b
VB` (/&-.2)# N,)/ /%*/ /%,# E,&, 7-&, *>), /- *AA&,1'*/,
-)4,& A,-A), *( * &,(3)/ -N M-)3./,,&'.2 E'/% QF$b
Voluhleers suggesled lhal dillerehl, nore lask-oriehlaled voluhleerihg
nighl be a way ol ehcouragihg nore nale voluhleers ahd nore lron
conpelilive, hunbers-based ihduslries like lihahce
4
,
P%, 7*d-&'/# E,&, -A,. /- /%, '4,* -N N3.4&*'('.2 -& 4-.*/'.2 ^?B`
*.4 ??` &,(A,1/'M,)#_J



4
Note: It is important to recognise that the idea of men being more task-orientated in their thinking is a
generallsaLlon one whlch does noL necessarlly sLand up Lo sclenLlflc scruLlny and ls cerLalnly noL Lrue ln every
case. lL ls referred Lo ln Lhls documenL because lL came Lhrough as a common percepLlon among volunLeers,
and because observaLlons of nLC sesslons dld seem Lo suggesL LhaL Lhere were cerLaln personallLy Lypes whlch
flourlshed more naLurally Lhan oLhers ln Lhe Soclal Club seLLlng.


31

Reconnehdaliohs.
There are a hunber ol specilic suggesliohs lo cone oul ol lhe projecl, sone ol
which could be innedialely inplenehled, sone ol which are nore lohg-lern
cohsideraliohs.
U&,*/,& ,NN-&/( /- &,431, /%, 2,.4,& '7>*)*.1, slarlihg wilh a
cohsullalioh ol nale voluhleers ahd lo ehcourage lhose lron ihduslries
like law ahd lihahce wilh nore lask-based voluhleerihg,

An increase in emphasis and funding for the two '. home components
^4-., '. /*.4,7_W
Crealer resourcihg ahd locus oh LYN lo reach oul lo lhose older
people who are hol already cohhecled lo Social Club helworks, as well
as engaging more introspective volunteers,
More deploynehl ol voluhleers so as lo expahd Wihler Wellbeihg lo
beller reach oul lo less lorlhconihg older people, ahd as a lower
connilnehl, lask-oriehlaled neahs ol ehgagihg nale/ privale seclor
voluhleers,

",//,& A&-1,((,( N-& (/*#'.2 '. /-31%, so as lo bridge lhe gap belweeh
those who are regulars and those with only fleeting interactions.
This is already begihhihg lo happeh lhrough lhe inplenehlalioh ol
Cusloner Relaliohship Mahagenehl (CRM) lool Nalioh uilder,

9-&, A3>)'1'/# *.4 * (/&-.2,& '4,./'/# N-& /%, 1%*&'/#R '. A*&/'13)*&
*7-.2 -)4,& A,-A),W
Civeh lhe high hunbers who leel lhey have beller relaliohs wilh youhg
people as a resull ol NLC, nore nighl be dohe lo pronole lhis as


32

NLCs Unique Selling Point, to help distinguish and publicise the
charily,
eller access lo lrahsporl ahd pronolioh ol lhe breadlh/ rahge ol
evehls,

9-&, ,NN-&/( /- 1*A'/*)'(, -. /%, %'2% ),M,) -N >')'.23*)'(7 *7-.2
M-)3./,,&( (51%) especially giveh lhe posilive inpacl ol lahguage skills
oh denehlia,

;)-E './&-431/'-. -N /%, -A/'-. -N 4-.*/'.2 /- QF$W
Supporlers were, oh balahce, opeh lo lhe idea ol luhdraisihg or
dohalihg (69% ahd 65% respeclively said lhey would cohsider il),
However, some volunteers felt this was out of keeping or even a
betrayal of NLCs lo-lech, connuhilariah agehda so il would heed lo
be execuled uhoblrusively ahd ihlroduced wilh lhe buy-ih ol regular
voluhleers,

6 2&,*/,& 1)*&'/# -N /%, M-)3./,,& &-), */ (-1'*) ,M,./(W
More NLC slall supporl lor lirsl line ahd voluhleers nore clarily aboul
the volunteer role,
More opporluhilies lor socialisihg wilh olher voluhleers ih advahce
lhlroducliohs lor cohlexl al lhe slarl ol social evehls, ahd de-briels
allerwards,
More evehihg ahd weekehd sessiohs,
Occasiohal drop-ih lraihihg/neel-ahd-greel sessiohs.




33

< =)4,& .,'2%>-3&(
139 older heighbours were spokeh lo
ih lolal, over a lwo-nohlh period. 86
ol lhese had had nore lhah lhree
ihslahces ol cohlacl wilh NLC. Those
who lell ihlo lhis calegory lilled oul
lhe lull survey ihcludihg inpacl
evalualioh quesliohs. The 53 who had
had lhree or lewer NLC ihleracliohs
ohly lilled oul lhe earlier quesliohs.
Their respohses were naihly ol ihleresl
as a neahs ol uhderslahdihg whal lhe
NLC cohsliluehcy is, why people gel
ihvolved, ahd why lhey sonelines lall
oul ol cohlacl.
ecause ol lhe ihlehsily wilh which
NLC lisls were nihed durihg lieldwork,
lhe dala collecled cah be viewed as a
census of the NLC user base.
N. For cohsislehcy nosl charls are
provided ih percehlage lorn. However,
be aware lhal sone are lron lairly low
sanples. The N number for each is
provided lo give lhe sanple size.


!"#$ &'()* +
Irank and Iean, 8S and 83, Ca|edon|an koad
Soc|a| C|ubs
As a couple were about as Islington as you
get. Weve been together since we were in our
LwenLles, and have always llved around here.
Weve obviously seen a lot of change. It used
Lo be a very rough sorL of place, where
everyone knew each other. Nowadays its
nlcer much more deslrable and as a resulL
you have a loL of young people movlng ln.
naLurally Lhey move around qulLe a loL, and
you have LhaL blL less conLacL wlLh Lhem.
Were both positive people, and nelLher of us
have the its all going to the dogs world view
LhaL you can someLlmes fall lnLo as you geL
older. Pavlng sald LhaL, lL can be dlfflculL Lo Lell
wheLher Lhlngs are geLLlng beLLer or geLLlng
worse. Were unquestionably better off, but I
someLlmes wonder if were less happy for it.
We pride ourselves on being the flrsL norLh
London Cares club. Alex came Lo 1he urovers
Club with the idea, and both of us said Yep
well give it a go. Weve been to every film
club slnce.
Weve got each other and weve got family.
So I couldnt hand-on-hearL say LhaL Lhe norLh
London Cares evenLs saved us from lonellness
or lsolaLlon. What they d|d do, though, was
changed how we looked at life. Youve got
twenty and twenty-f|ve year-o|ds here, g|v|ng
up the|r free t|me. It wou|d never have
happened in our day, and its transformed
our v|ew of the younger generat|on. I
suddenly feel able to engage with them.



34

<J0 X%- NLCs older neighbours are
<J0J0 62,
NLCs older neighbours vary a great deal in terms of
age lhe youhgesl spokeh lo was 59 ahd lhe oldesl
was 97. The average age was 78.6. The proporlioh ol
NLCs older neighbours in each age group is
napped oh lhe charl below ih pale blue. y way ol
conparisoh, lhe dark blue lihe ihdicales lhe haliohal
piclure, usihg ONS slals.
5

As Charl 1 shows, a sighilicahl proporlioh arouhd
lwo lillhs of NLCs older neighbours are in their
80s. There is also a large group ih lheir lale 60s. The
laller is replicaled ih lhe haliohal ligures, ahd is
probably the product of the baby boomer generalioh. Civeh lhe conpelilivehess
ol lhe K workplace lor older people, lhis nay be a group which has slipped ihlo
lull relirenehl nore quickly lhah lhe people who hil 65 leh years belore.



3
hLLp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_367167.pdf (p.10)
lor deduclng Lhe 90+ age breakdown: hLLp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_337100.pdf (p.3)
0
3
10
13
20
23
30
3
3
-
3
9
6
0
-
6
4
6
3
-
6
9
7
0
-
7
4
7
3
-
7
9
8
0
-
8
4
8
3
-
8
9
9
0
-
9
4
9
3
-
9
9
|n
age
group
norLh London
Cares
naLlonal llgures
2013
n =
133
!,"-' +. Age prof||e of NLC's
o|der ne|ghbours
62, P-/*)
<<S<V 1
?aS?: 8
?<S?V 22
BaSB: 18
B<SBV 15
CaSC: 27
C<SCV 27
VaSV: 14
V<SVV 1
Q c 088


33

<J0J5 U,.4,&
More than two thirds of NLCs older neighbours are
lenale. Civeh woneh live lohger, il is ho surprise
lhey nake up a grealer proporlioh, bul lhe exlehl lo
which lhey oulhunber neh is slill holeworlhy.

As Chart 2 shows, NLCs
older heighbours are
disproporliohalely lenale,
eveh conpared lo lhe
haliohal average.
6
This
chines wilh visils lo NLC
Social Clubs, which are
usually nuch beller allehded
by woneh lhah neh.

A clue lo why lhis is probably lies ih lhe age denographic described above.
because woneh do geherally live longer, NLCs high numbers of people in their
lale 70s, 80s ahd early 90s have a direcl khock-oh lor lhe proporlioh ol woneh.
There nay also be social laclors al play. Slall al NLC
reasoh that older generations more closely defined
gehder roles, parlicularly anohgsl lhe urbah
workihg class denographic lron which NLC draws
nahy ol ils parlicipahls, neahs lhal woneh are
olleh nore cohlidehl adnihislerihg social
ihleracliohs.


6
hLLp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_367167.pdf (p.10)
U,.4,& P-/*)
D,7*), 96
9*), 43
Q c 08V
34.1
43.9
69.1
30.9
lemales Males
!,"-' /. Gender breakdown of
NLC's o|der ne|ghbours ()
naLlonal
average for
over-60s ln
mld-2013
norLh
London
Cares
n = 139


36

<J0J8 F'M'.2 ('/3*/'-.
PE- /%'&4( ^?B`_
of NLCs older
.,'2%>-3&( )'M,
*)-.,J Aboul a
lillh (18%) live
wilh a parlher
(usually a
husbahd or wile),
a lew olhers live
connuhally, wilh
adull lriehds, or
wilh childreh.
As Chart 3 shows (by comparing NLCs neighbours living arrangements wilh
haliohal cehsus dala
7
) lwo lhirds livihg ih sihgle occupahl hones is uhusually
high /E'1, /%, .*/'-.*) *M,&*2, N-& -M,& ?<(. Lveh wheh lakihg ihlo accouhl
lhal lhe haliohal ligure lor lhose livihg alohe rises, aller lhe age ol 75, lo 49%, as
ol 2010
8
ahd, lor over-85s ih lslihgloh lo 59%
9
NLC heighbours are slill
disproporliohalely likely lo cone lron ohe-persoh households.
y lookihg al age, gehder ahd livihg silualioh logelher, ohe gels ah ihcreasihgly
clear piclure ol lhe social group lakihg lhe nosl advahlage ol lhe lhihgs NLC
ollers. people ih lheir laler years, ih nosl cases woneh, who have beeh widowed
or hever narried ahd leel ih heed ol conpahy.



7
hLLp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_323486.pdf (p.7)
8
flle:///C:/users/SA8L/uownloads/glfreporL2010_Lcm77-23942020(1).pdf (p.39)
9
hLLp://www.lsllngLon.gov.uk/publlcrecords/llbrary/CommunlLy-and-llvlng/lnformaLlon/lacLsheeLs/2011-
2012/(2012-03-03)-SLaLe-of-LquallLles-2011.pdf (p.7)
31.1
36.8
12.1
66.9
18.0
13.1
Llve alone Llve wlLh parLner Llve communally, wlLh
famlly or wlLh frlends
!,"-' 0. NLC o|der ne|ghbours' ||v|ng s|tuat|on
()
naLlonal flgures for over-
63s ln 2011
norLh London Cares
n =
139


37

<J0J: Y)*1, -N >'&/%
NLCs older neighbours are an
ihlehsely localised group. As Charl
4 shows, a sighilicahl proporlioh
hol lar oll a lhird were borh oh
the NLC patch of Islington and
Candeh, or else ih heighbourihg
Hackhey. These hunbers are
holably higher lor lslihgloh lhah
Candeh, perhaps relleclihg a nore
ehlrehched connuhily prolile
wilhih lslihgloh ih conparisoh wilh
lhe nore lrahsiehl Candeh.
NLCs neighbours think very much in terms of their immediate area, ahd wheh
asked where lhey were borh nosl cile places eveh nore local lhah cily boroughs
i.e. Caledonian Road or St Pancras.

Those hol lron Lohdoh were spread lairly evehly, allhough lhere were holably
high hunbers lron lhe earliesl waves ol nigralioh lo lhe K, wilh a lillh conihg
lron eilher lrelahd or lhe Caribbeah.
London Llsewhere ln Lhe uk Llsewhere ln Lurope CuLslde Lurope
!,"-' 1. NLC o|der ne|ghbours'
p|ace of b|rth ()
n = 133
lsllngLon
(20.1)
norLh LasL/
norLh WesL (6.7)
lreland (11.1)
Carlbbean
(9.7)
SouLh LasL/ SouLh
WesL (6.7)
SouLh Asla (2.9)
Camden (3.1)
CLher counLrles
(3.1)
ScoLland (3.1)
Packney (3.7)
CLher
boroughs
(11.9)
CLher reglons
(4.4)
CLher parLs of
Lhe world (6.6)
Y)*1, -N >'&/%
P-/*)
F-.4-.
H()'.2/-.R
$*74,. -&
L*1+.,#
40
=/%,& 16
G)(,E%,&, '. /%, ef
31
G)(,E%,&, '.
G3&-A,
H&,)*.4 15
=/%,& 7
=3/('4, G3&-A,
$*&'>>,*. 14
=/%,& 12
Q c 08<


38

<J0J< Z'(/&'>3/'-.
NLCs older heighbours live ih bolh
Candeh ahd lslihgloh ahd a hahdlul
lravel ih lron olher boroughs. The spread
ih Candeh is presehlly a lillle palchier lhah
ih lslihgloh, as lhe nap shows,
0a
perhaps ih
parl due lo NLC havihg dohe nore door-
khockihg projecls ih lslihgloh ahd also lo
begihhihg work ih Candeh a year laler ih
the charitys development. The dislribulioh
roughly lallied wilh deprivalioh ih lhe
boroughs (see Appehdix ).


10
hLLp://baLchgeo.com/map/9469f3b3836f6bb31f3244798308d392
"-&-32% P-/*)
H()'.2/-. 78
$*74,. 46
=/%,& 13
Q c 08B


39

<J0J? 611-77-4*/'-.
hsurprisihgly given the charitys focus, /%, M*(/
7*d-&'/# ^<V`_ -N /%, -)4,& A,-A), QF$ E-&+(
E'/% )'M, '. )-1*) *3/%-&'/# %-3('.2. This is
largely sell-seleclihg, NLC uses Couhcil lisls lor ils
door khockihg projecls, uses sone Couhcil-
luhded cehlres lo hosl evehls, ahd receives
relerrals lron Couhcil deparlnehls. Civeh lhal,
/%, A&-A-&/'-. -N %-7,-E.,&( ^0B`_ E*(R '.
N*1/R (3&A&'('.2)# %'2%. Mahy ol lhese allhough
by ho neahs all were livihg ih lorner Couhcil houses lhey had boughl lhrough
Righl lo uy durihg or aller lhe 1980s.


8acton nouse,
Camden
39
17
9
7
4
4
!,"-' 2. 1ype of accomodat|on NLC o|der
ne|ghbours ||ve |n ()
Local auLhorlLy
Pome owner
ShelLered accomodaLlon
Pouslng/ LenanLs assoclaLlon
rlvaLe LenanL
Leaseholder
n = 139


40

<J5 L-E NLCs older neighbours %*M, N,)/ ('.1, 2,//'.2 -)4,&
To obtain a general baseline for how NLCs
older residehls lell belore lhey becane
ihvolved wilh lhe charily, lhey were asked lo
think about the period since retirement or
since they had started to notice themselves
getting older ahd aboul how lhey had lell
durihg lhis line.
Oh a senahlic level lhis was a dillicull
queslioh, as il asked residehls lo separale
lheir presehl slale ol nihd lron how lhey
had lell al ah earlier poihl. Whilsl hol ah
exacl sciehce, lhis approach was a way ol
assessihg lhe backdrop agaihsl which people
becane ihvolved wilh NLC, lo provide a
behchnark. Lveh il sone were hol able lo
explicilly pihpoihl how lhey had lell ih lhe
pasl, lhe lihdihgs gave ah overall sehse ol
NLCs cohlexl.
The questions asked were built around NLCs
core ains, so as lo nake a conparisoh laler.
Respohses are napped oh Charl 6 (wilh lhe
slalenehls lhey agreed/ disagreed wilh
overlaid), as a set of traffic lights
highlighlihg areas ih which old age had had
lhe nosl delrinehlal ellecl.
!"#$ &'()* /
Lthe|, pens|oner,
kent|sh 1own Soc|a| C|ubs
I grew up in Ireland. It was a world very
dlfferenL from 2014 London, l can Lell you!
1hat said, Ive lived in Kentish Town for 40
years now, so I guess Im a Londoner
really.
Ill not go into too much detail about the
past, because I dont like to think about it
Loo much. l parLed ways wlLh my husband
some years ago, Lhough, and have llved by
myself ever since. Being on your owns
dlfflculL. Its always with you, the
|one||ness. Ive never really got used to it.
I first saw the North London Cares film
club adverLlsed aL 8usby lace CommunlLy
CenLre. SLralghL away lL looked up my
sLreeL. 1he fllms are greaL. We waLched
!"# %&'(#) Lhe oLher week, and lL really
broughL home Lo you how lucky we are
noL Lo have LhaL klnd of pre[udlce
anymore.
The best thing about them, though, is
the young people. Ill be feeling a bit low
some days, but as soon as I get to the
f||m c|ub |t passes. I |ook forward to |t a||
week, if Im honest.
The best thing with the young people,
Id say, is the fact theyre giving up their
t|me for you. It g|ves you that ||tt|e b|t
more hope. I know a |ot of peop|e my
age comp|a|n that th|ngs are gett|ng
worse, but I dont buy it at all. The way I
see |t, theres still a lot to be positive
about.



41


21.6 19.4
13.3
17.3
3.8
14.4
23.7
10.2
24.4
41.7
40.3 36
16.3
28.8
23.2
23.7
1.4
2.9
1.4
9.4
28
2.8
28.7
38.9
23
36.1 23.9
28.8
43.2
36.7
30.2
13.7 13
6.7
11.3
20.9
10.8
14.4
7.2
leellngs of
lonellness/
lsolaLlon
ulsconnecLlon
from nelghbours
and communlLy
AllenaLlon from
young people
leellngs of fear/
lack of self-
confldence ln
local area
ulsaffecLlon wlLh
modern world/
socleLy
lnablllLy Lo
experlence broad
range of Lhlngs
ulfflculLy
experlenced ln
dolng everyday
Lasks
Cverall feellngs of
unhapplness/
unhealLhlness
!,"-' 3. now NLC's o|der ne|ghbours have fe|t s|nce gett|ng o|der ()
very low/ noL aL all a problem Low/ noL really a problem Mlxed feellngs/ neuLral Plgh/ A sllghL problem very hlgh/ A severe problem
n = 139
"Very
|one|y and
|so|ated"
"Not at
a|| |one|y
or
|so|ated"
"Lxtreme|y
we||
connected"
"Not at a||
connected"
"Very
good - I ||ke
young
peop|e and
see a |ot of
them"
"oor - I
don't ||ke
young
peop|e and
don't have
much
contact"
"Very se|f-
conf|dent
and
secure"
"Not at a||
se|f-
conf|dent
or secure"
"Very
negat|ve
about
modern
soc|ety -
th|ngs are
|n dec||ne"
"Very
pos|t|ve -
th|ngs are
|mprov|ng"
"Very
ab|e"
"Not at
a|| ab|e"
"A |ot of
d|ff|cu|ty -
|ncapab|e
of most
tasks"
"No
d|ff|cu|ty -
I can do a||
tasks"
"Not at a||
happy and
hea|thy"
"Very
happy
and
hea|thy"
"nappy but
not
hea|thy"]
"nea|thy
but not
happy"
"Depends
what t|me
of day"
"Don't
th|nk
about |t"]
"1here are
pros and
cons"


42

People were, ih nosl cases,
lorlhconihg ahd lalked
lrahkly aboul how lhey had
lell ahd lhe inpacl old age
had had oh lhen.

The overall piclure paihled
was a bleak ohe, a lillh
(21%) had become Very
hegalive aboul lhe noderh
world sihce gellihg older.
Hall (53%) said had
experiehced Fairly or Very
serious lohelihess durihg old
age wilh 37% leelihg lhis
way Most of the time or
Quite a lot of the time, and
)-.,)'.,(( */ E,,+,.4(
A*&/'13)*&)# 1-77-.J Ohly
25% had remained Very or
Fairly happy and healthy as
lhey gol older.

Oh, its terrible, the modern world. Things are much worse.
[,(A,1/R 4,1,.1#JJJ P%,(, /%'.2( %*M, *)) 2-., -3/ /%, E'.4-EJ
g-#1,R C<
All ol lhose who had hol beeh happy ahd heallhy were asked whal lhe lhihgs
sloppihg lhen beihg so were. As lhe charl below shows, )*1+ -N (-1'*) 1-./*1/
%*4 >,,. /%, )*&2,(/ '7A,4'7,./R 1'/,4 ># 8C`J This suggesls a lairly urgehl
denahd lor lhe lypes ol help NLC ollers. hsurprisihgly giveh lhal a lairly large
!"#$ &'()* 0
A|bert, 89, I|nsbury ark LN and Soc|a| C|ubs
I lost my wife a few years back, in 1997, and since then Ive
tried to keep myself busy. Im the type that likes to get
straight up again and keep going. Ive got a whole bunch of
hobbles [udo, runnlng, muslc.
I like young people but I never had a lot of contact with
them before Alexs events started up. I first heard about
Lhem Lhrough someone l know over aL one of my clubs.
Kentish Town, maybe... I dont recall.
Now Roger, a young fellow from around where I live,
comes and glves me a hand wlLh shopplng a couple of Llmes
a week as well. noLhlng Loo serlous [usL a favour and a
chaL.
It gives me something to get up for in the mornings, if Im
honest. I used to get a b|t g|oomy, as the day dragged on,
but not anymore. It prov|des a structure.
Its changed the way I look at things, North London Cares.
The fact theres young people giving up their time for you
makes you want to do the same for them. 1o glve you an
example, last week I was this young lad on Seven Sisters
8oad homeless, he was. In the old days Id have walked
pasL Im not a rich man, after all, Im a pensioner! But I
felL sorry for hlm, and before I knew it Id given him a
Lenner.
You couldnt give it to every person you walked past,
obvlously. 8uL lL made me feel good, and lL was a way of
saying thanks for the things Roger and people do for me.


43

proportion had been Happy but not Healthy since reaching old age, or who
ciled heallh as lhe reasoh lor lheir uhhappihess lack ol nobilily cane secohd.

y lookihg al haliohal ligures lor over 65s, conpiled by The Fulure Fouhdalioh
11

ahd Age K,
12
conparisohs could be nade between NLCs regulars (those who
have ihleracliohs al leasl
every lhree nohlhs),
NLCs older neighbours
per se, ahd lhe wider
piclure. Sone were a lillle
approxinale (lor exanple,
conparihg lhe hunber
idehlilied by Age K as
Frightened of crime with
lhe hunber ol NLC

11
hLLp://www.foLe.org.uk/wp-conLenL/uploads/2014/07/2014_03-lC1L-luLure-of-lonellness-8eporL-low-res-
wlLhouL-crops.pdf (p.10)
12
hLLp://www.ageuk.org.uk/uocumenLs/Ln-C8/lacLsheeLs/LaLer_Llfe_uk_facLsheeL.pdf?dLrk=Lrue (p.21-22)
38.0
32.6
27.2
22.8
17.4
13.2
6.3
6.3
8elaLlonshlps and soclal conLacL
MoblllLy
racLlcal help and supporL
1hlngs Lo do and places Lo go
MenLal sLlmulaLlon
noLhlng really/ noLhlng aparL from beLLer healLh
noL sure
CLher
!,"-' 4. 8arr|ers to
happ|ness and hea|th|ness ()
n = 92


44

heighbours who were Not al all sell-confident or secure in their area). However,
lhey provide a rough cohlexl lor lhe work NLC is doihg.
When it came to fear of crime and attitudes to modernity, NLCs neighbours had
beeh slighlly nore lrighlehed ahd slighlly nore hegalive, respeclively, sihce
reachihg old age perhaps a relleclioh ol lhe urbah connuhilies lhey ihhabil. lh
each case lhe regulars were less likely lo have lell lhis way lhah lhe wider NLC
base ol older heighbours suggeslihg lhal lhey nay be a nore cohlidehl ahd
oulgoihg group lo slarl wilh (see Seclioh 5.3.1).

However, il was oh lhe issue ol lohelihess where lhe cohlrasl was nosl acule,
with NLCs older neighbours havihg beeh hearly lour lines as lohely as lhe
haliohal average sihce beconihg older lhe regulars eveh nore so.
13

ll is dillicull lo draw cohclusiohs wheh hol exaclly conparihg like wilh like (ih
lerns ol survey nelhods elc), bul lhis conparisoh does appear lo suggesl lhal
/%, 2&-3A QF$ '( &,*1%'.2 -3/ /- '( * 4'(A&-A-&/'-.*/,)# )-.,)# *.4 '(-)*/,4
-.,J This is possibly because NLC is soughl oul by lohely people, bul also
because ihher-cily Lohdoh is a parlicularly ahohynous ahd isolalihg place.


13
noLe LhaL Lhe flgures for lonellness used ln CharL 8 36.7 for all nelghbours and 41.9 for regulars only
include those who are lonely most of the time quite a lot of the time. If those who are Only occasionally
lonely are lncluded Lhe flgures move up Lo 32.3 and 34.7 respecLlvely.
10
41
8
36.7
49.7
11.3
41.9
48.8
7
Always or ofLen lonely/
Lonely mosL of Lhe Llme or
qulLe a loL of Lhe Llme
CuL of sLep wlLh modern
llfe/ negaLlve abouL Lhe
modern world
lrlghLened of crlme/
LxLremely low self-
confldence and securlLy ln
local area
!,"-' 5. Soc|a| |so|at|on s|nce gett|ng o|der
- compared to nat|ona| f|gures ()
naLlonal flgures for over-63s, Age
uk 2014
norLh London Cares (n=139)
norLh London Cares regulars
(n=86)
n = 139


43

<J8 P%, 1-./*1/ -)4,& .,'2%>-3&( %*M, %*4 E'/% Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,(
<J8J0 67-3./ -N 1-./*1/
NLCs older neighbours are heavily
weighled al eilher ehd ol lhe
speclrun wheh il cones lo lheir
level ol cohlacl wilh lhe charily ahd
ils youhg voluhleers. Al ohe ehd is a
large group of regulars, who have
had nore lhah leh ihleracliohs
lhrough lhe charily (40%) ahd allehd
oh a weekly (30%) or nohlhly (24%)
basis.
Al lhe olher ehd is ah equally large group who have had lewer lhah lhree
ihleracliohs (38%) which nay have beeh eilher as parl ol lhe Wihler Wellbeihg
projecls or due lo ol a ohe-off social event or a couple of instances of ad hoc
LYN supporl (see Charl 9) ahd subsequehlly
have very lleelihg cohlacl.
lh belweeh exisls a snaller hunber ol nore
peripheral older heighbours, who have had a
variely ol dillerehl, sporadic bils ol LYN
support, or come to a few of NLCs regular
Social Clubs, wilhoul beihg lully regular.
This leaves lhe NLC cohsliluehcy lairly polarised. Seclioh 5.4 goes ihlo why lhis is
ih nore delail, bul lhis disparily belweeh a cohorl ol regulars ahd a group wilh
whon lhere has ohly beeh lleelihg cohlacl nighl be sonelhihg lor NLC lo
look al ih lulure, lo ihsure il cohlihues lo be ah ihclusive orgahisalioh.

[,23)*&'/# -N 1-./*1/
E'/% QF$
P-/*)
X,,+)# 42
9-./%)# 33
GM,&# /%&,, 7-./%( 15
=.1, -& /E'1, * #,*& 11
=.)# ,M,& -., 1-./*1/ 38
Q c 08V
=M,&*)) '.(/*.1,( -N
QF$ 1-./*1/
P-/*)
9-&, /%*. 0a 55
",/E,,. : *.4 0a 31
",/E,,. 0 *.4 8 53
Q c 08V


46


Charls 10 ahd 11 cohlrasl lhe severily ol problens ehcouhlered ih old age
comparing the regulars (those with more than 10 interactions) and those with
lleelihg cohlacl (lhree or lewer ihleracliohs).
27.3
38.1
7.9
10.8
20.3
23.7
30.2
39.6
8egularlLy of conLacL Cverall lnsLances of conLacL
!,"-' 6. NLC's |eve| of contact w|th o|der ne|ghbours
n = 139
W
e
e
k
|
y

M
o
n
t
h
|
y

L
v
e
r
y

t
h
r
e
e

m
o
n
t
h
s

C
n
c
e

o
r

t
w
|
c
e

y
e
a
r
|
y

C
n
|
y

e
v
e
r

o
n
c
e

10+
4-10
1-3
0
10
20
30
40
30
60
70
Lonely and lsolaLed
ulsconnecLed from
communlLy
oor/ no relaLlons
wlLh young people
Low self-confldence
and securlLy
negaLlve vlew of Lhe
modern world
unable Lo experlence
a range of
experlences
!,"-' +7. Sever|ty of prob|em |n each area
- regu|ar Vs f|eet|ng ()
1-3 lnLeracLlons (n=33)
10+ lnLeracLlons (n=33)


47

!"#$ &'()* 1
M|||y, 82, 8arnsbury W|nter We||be|ng
The visit from North London Cares came at a
point when I was really struggling. It wasnt the
coldesL wlnLer, buL energy bllls have gone Lhrough
Lhe roof ln recenL years, so we were havlng Lo do
wlLhouL heaLlng. Cn Lop of LhaL l was carlng for
my husband whose healLh has become
lncreaslngly poor ln recenL years but I didnt
know how Lo geL carer sLaLus. When Lhe man
knocked round lL was a Codsend.
Alex at North London Cares took my issue in
hand. Pe gave us 130 Lo cover us for Lhe shorL
Lerm, and he goL onLo Lhe Councll Lo make sure l
was geLLlng all Lhe flnanclal help l could. As a
resulL someone phoned wlLh advlce abouL
beneflLs and, more lmporLanLly, l was able Lo
offlclally become a carer for my husband. I [oke
somet|mes that North London Cares saved my
life. It was only a small amount of help, but it
came at exact|y the t|me when I rea||y needed |t.
I know they also do social groups too but thats
not really my cup of tea. Im too busy caring for
my husband. 8ut the he|p they d|d g|ve was
great.
Charl 10 shows lhal lhe
regulars (marked in
darker blue) were people
who, sihce gellihg older,
had had beller relaliohs
wilh youhg people, nore
sell-cohlidehce, ahd a
sighilicahlly grealer
breadlh ol experiehce.
Mahy ol lhose wilh
lleelihg cohlacl did hol
cone nore regularly because ol
nobilily issues, il is worlh holihg
hehce lheir harrower breadlh ol
experiehce geherally.
@-3 .,,4 -3/&,*1%
7-&, /%*. *.#/%'.2J
",1*3(, A,-A),
wont know that
youre doing these things, they
wont +.-E *.#>-4# E%,. /%,#
2,/ /%,&,R *.4 (- /%,# 7*+,
,I13(,(J g-*.R C8
Charl 11 shows lhal lhose who have
had ohly lleelihg cohlacl wilh NLC
lehd lo be a group wilh geherally
lower wellbeihg sihce reachihg old
age. ll is worlh NLC beihg aware
lhal lhis group exisls, people who
10.9
9.4
32.7
9.4
23.6
41.3
27.3
32.1
3.3
7.6
More Lhan Len
lnLeracLlons (n=33)
8eLween one and Lhree
lnLeracLlons (n=33)
!,"-' ++. Unhapp|ness] unhea|th|ness s|nce
gett|ng o|der - regu|ar Vs f|eet|ng ()
noL aL all happy or
healLhy
noL especlally
happy or healLhy
Pappy buL noL
healLhy/ CLher
mlxed response
Cenerally preLLy
happy and healLhy
Cenerally very
happy and healLhy


48

are less nobile, ahd have arrived al old age leelihg less happy, less sell-cohlidehl
ahd nore suspicious ol youhg people ahd hehce do hol ehgage nore wilh lhe
charily. To ehgage lhis group lurlher lhe charily heeds lo ihvesl ih syslens
(sonelhihg il is already slarlihg lo do lhrough Nalioh uilder) bul also lo expahd
lhe scope ahd locus ol projecls like Wihler Wellbeihg ahd LYN, bolh ol which, ih
very different ways, have an at home dimension.
y ihlerweavihg lhe slrohgesl elenehls ol lhese lwo lorns ol supporl, NLC
should be able lo idehlily lhose ih heed ol help, ahd lo ehsure lhal lhey are
cohhecled wilh voluhleers who cah provide ohe-lo-ohe ih-hone cohheclioh.
As Secliohs 6.2.2 ahd 6.3.4 show, lhere was a real appelile anohg voluhleers lor
nore LYN opporluhilies (allhough lhere were also challehges lo be overcone lor
lhen lo leel conlorlable), as well as a leelihg lhal lask-oriehlaled lhihgs wilh
low enoliohal connilnehl like Wihler Wellbeihg nighl be a way lo ihvolve
nore voluhleers lron nale-donihaled seclors.
<J8J5 Q*/3&, -N 1-./*1/
Charl 12 shows all lhe dillerehl lypes ol ihleraclioh older heighbours have had
wilh NLC ahd lhe hunber who have experiehced each lype ol ihleraclioh.
3
17
14 3
89
21
20
12
Soclal evenLs/ clubs L?n WlnLer Wellbelng CLher
!,"-' +/. NLC types of |nteract|on
n = 137
Soclal help
racLlcal help
racLlcal supporL
llnanclal supporL
Advlce on soclal
clubs/ L?n
Pldden
Peroes
CLher
Lechnlcal
supporL


49

Overall 89 ol lhe people surveyed had beeh lo a Social Club. 21 had received
social supporl lhrough lhe Love Your Neighbour projecl ahd 17 had received
praclical LYN assislahce.
Olhers had received supporl lhrough lhe Wihler Wellbeihg projecl (which helps
keep older heighbours aclive, cohhecled ahd heallhy durihg lhe cold shap).
There are lots of people who dont see anybody, and they
.,M,& 2- *.#E%,&,J HN #-u see them you say Why dont you
come to Drovers? they say Oh, I dont know anybody, I
cant be bothered. Its the likes of us who go to the clubs. Someone says
Have you been to soS*.4Sso? or Come to soS*.4Sso, and thats how we
*)) +.-EJ "3/ 'N #-u dont know anyone, you dont go anywhere. D&,4R C<
This shows how cehlral lhe Social Club dinehsioh is lo lhe work NLC is doihg.
This is sonelhihg which, as discussed elsewhere ih lhis reporl, is bolh a posilive
element of the charitys output, keeping it tied to community, but also a less
positive one, suggesting that the at home components of NLCs work is not as
cehlral as il perhaps could be.




30

<J: X%# A,-A), 4-/ dont interact
<J:J0 9*+'.2 *.4 7*'./*'.'.2 1-./*1/
NLCs older neighbours were asked lo hane all lhe way(s) ih which lhey lirsl
becane aware ol lhe charily. The charl below, which reveals lheir respohses,
shows lhe power lhal clubs ahd connuhily cehlres slill hold lor older residehls
ih Candeh ahd lslihgloh, as ahchors ol connuhily aclivily ahd social helworks.

Well over half said NLCs events were either already
goihg oh al a connuhily localioh lhey wehl lo, or
lhal lhey were nade aware ol lhen lhrough
connuhily cehlre helworks. Mahy sinply replied,
when asked It was going on down the Peel, or
Through Polly at The Drovers. Further to this a
hunber were direcled lo NLC lhrough lhe how
deluhcl lhgeslre Cood Neighbour schene ih Kehlish
Towh a group which closed dowh due lo luhdihg
challehges ahd whose nenbers NLC was able lo
supporl subsequehlly.
12
32
7
10 9
40
21
30
16
Soclal club/ CommunlLy
CenLre
Word of mouLh nLC reachlng ouL AnoLher organlsaLlon
!,"-' +0. Ways peop|e hear about NLC
n = 137
Already
golng on aL
soclal club
nLC vlslLed
CC/ sLarLed
up club
Lhere
CLher
Clder frlends/
parLner
?ounger
frlends
uoorsLep
vlslL
LeafleL/
adverLlslng
Councll/
nPS
CharlLy/
ensloners'
lorum


31

The lable lo lhe righl ihdicales how
olleh lhose who allehd social
evehls go lo olher clubs durihg lhe
week. NLCs Social Club allehdees
are a reasohably aclive group,
allhough lhere are slill .,*&)# *
]3*&/,& N-& E%-7 QF$ '( /%, -.)#
/%'.2 /%,# 2- /- ,*1% E,,+J
While lhe exislehce ol Social Clubs is lahlaslic lor NLC, il is inporlahl lhal lhey
do hol becone a conlorl zohe, lhe charily heeds lo cohlihue lo recruil beyohd
lhose who would be joihihg social aclivilies ahyway reachihg oul lo groups
who, as has already beeh seeh, are olleh eveh nore isolaled. Civeh lhis, lhe
conparalively large hunbers who had heard ol NLC lhrough word ol noulh,
adverlisihg, NLC doorslep projecls, or olher orgahisaliohs (67%), is ehcouragihg.
I just saw it in the paper and I thought Why not? Ill give it a
try. $%&'(R ??

Charl 14 shows whal ihilially allracled older heighbours lo NLC (dark blue) ahd
lhe reasohs lhey keep conihg (pale blue). Social cohlacl clearly plays a big parl
bolh ih lerns ol neelihg hew lriehds ahd calchihg up wilh older ohes.
H/ 2'M,( #-3 /%, -AA-&/3.'/# /- (-1'*)'(,J H 7*4, 1-./*1/ E'/% *
N,E &,*))# .'1, A,-A), 7# -E. *2,J GE*&/R CB

To avoid beihg jusl aholher evehl goihg oh al a connuhily cehlre, il is
inporlahl lhal NLC dislihguishes ilsell lron olher local aclivilies ih lerns ol whal
il ollers. For lhis reasoh il is ehcouragihg lhal so nahy older heighbours cone lo
NLC evehls lo do aclivilies hol available elsewhere, or lo learh hew lhihgs.
[,23)*&'/# -N -/%,& ;-1'*) $)3>( P-/*)
9-(/ 4*#( 22
P%&,, -& N-3& /'7,( * E,,+ 25
PE- -& /%&,, /'7,( * E,,+ 21
6)7-(/ .,M,& *A*&/ N&-7 QF$ 21
Q c CV


32


More ehcouragihg slill is lhe %'2% .37>,& ^:0`_ /%*/
1-./'.3, /- 1-7, >,1*3(, #-3.2 A,-A), *&, '.M-)M,4
nore lhah lwice as nahy as ihilially cane lor lhal reasoh.
H .,M,& 1,*(, /- >, *7*h,4 ># /%, E*#
young people put themselves out. Theyre
.-/ /%, &,*(-. H (/*&/,4 2-'.2 >3/
theyre the reason I keep going. f'//#R C<

This ihdicales lhal NLC is playihg a serious, posilive role ih inprovihg older
heighbours cohlacl wilh ahd view ol youhger geheraliohs ahd lhal lhis is a
significant reason for older peoples continued attendance.
3
3
6
10
22
10
37
23
22
41
27
37
18
7
3
6
10
12
17
20
23
24
32
38
!usL because lL's Lhere/ encouraged by someone else
CLher
llexlblllLy ln Lerms of Llme/ locaLlon
8elonglng/ communlLy/ overcome grlef
8ecause of Lhe nLC sLaff
lor pracLlcal help
8ecause young people are lnvolved
1o geL ouL/ keep busy
1o learn new Lhlngs/ be advenLurous/ be sLlmulaLed
8ecause frlends were already golng
1o do acLlvlLles noL avallable elsewhere
1o meeL people
!,"-' +1. Why NLC ne|ghbours come at f|rst] keep com|ng
lnlLlal aLLracLlon of
nLC
8eason for keeplng ln
conLacL wlLh nLC
n = 90


33

<J:J5 F-(( -N 1-./*1/
85 (61%) ol lhe people spokeh lo were
slill ih louch wilh NLC, by lheir owh
delihilioh. eyohd lhis lhere were 54
(39%) who said lheir cohlacl had lapsed,
or else who cohsidered cohlacl lo have
beeh a ohe oll, lor exanple lhrough a
Wihler Wellbeihg ihlervehlioh lhal
helped lhen solve a problen.
Hi7 .-/ * A,&(-. E%-
&,*))# ,.d-#( 7'I'.2 E'/%
-/%,&(J P%, N3,) 2&*./
E*( 2&,*/R >3/ (A,.4
#-3& /'7, -. /%-(, /%*/ .,,4 '/ .-/
7,J Y*3)'.,R B0
Charl 15 shows lhe reasohs lhal people
cohsider lhey are ho lohger ih cohlacl.
Mahy said lhey had viewed lheir
ihleraclioh as a ohe oll hehce had hol
naihlaihed cohlacl. A sighilicahl hunber
ol lhese said lhey would like lo re-
eslablish cohlacl.
9-&, *E*&,.,(( -N /%,
i%-7, M'('/*/'-.(i E-3)4
>, 2--4J 9-(/ A,-A),
4-.i/ +.-E *>-3/ /%,7J
6.4&,*R CB

!"#$ &'()* 2
kuth, 90, n|ghbury LN
Although Ive lived by myself for a
number of years now, Id never have
LhoughL of myself as someone who was
isolated. Ive got a wonderful son and
daughLer, who boLh Lake very good care
of me. My son llves [usL down Lhe road,
so he pops over most days. Ive been a
masslve opera fan slnce l was Laken Lo
Sadlers Wells as a glrl, and he Lakes me
Lo waLch muslc mosL weekends.
In spite of all that, though, I started to
get a bit unfulfilled. Im someone who
needs menLal sLlmulaLlon, buL as l goL
older I couldnt seem to find it. I found
myself getting apathetic. Im noL greaL
wlLh crowds, so l was sLaylng aL home
and becomlng less engaged wlLh llfe.
Then, one day in December, I got a
knock on Lhe door from a young man.
Pe offered help wlLh Lhe cold weaLher,
which I didnt need, but we got to
Lalklng and l explalned how l was
feellng. 1o cuL a long sLory shorL, l ended
up belng puL ln Louch wlLh Pelen a
lady ln her 20s who llves close by. now
she comes round once a week for a cup
of Lea.
Her visits give life that added bit of
|nterest. ne|en ||ves a very d|fferent ||fe
to me, work|ng |n a h|gh-powered [ob |n
1he C|ty. ner com|ng round |s a chance
to |earn about her ||fe and for her to
|earn about m|ne. She br|ngs |n a part
of the outside world that Ive lost touch
with, and now I feel like Im a part of
the wor|d aga|n.




34

However, olhers said lhey
were hol aware ol lhe olher
lhihgs NLC did ahd lhere
were ah addiliohal hunber
who said lhey slopped
hearing from NLC, or couldnt
gel ih louch. lnprovihg
connuhicaliohs, especially
lhe regularily lhereol, should
lherelore be a priorily lor lhe
charily.
H/i( %*&4J Hi7
13&&,./)# '. /%,
%*>'/ -N d3(/
(/*#'.2 '. *))
/%, /'7, *.4 '/ 1*. >,
4'NN'13)/ /- >&,*+ A,-A), -3/
-N %*>'/( )'+, /%*/J Hi7 +,,.
/- /&# /%-32%R N-& 7#(,)NJ
9'1%*,)R BV
!"#$ &'()* 3
au|, 86, k||burn Soc|a| C|ubs
I started coming to Mens Cooking aL Abbey 8oad
abouL a year ago, qulLe by chance. l saw an adverL ln Lhe
Camden Journal and I thought Why not? Ill give it a
go. Id just lost my wife and was going through a
dlfflculL Llme, and l guess l was hoplng Lo bond wlLh
people and Lake my mlnd off Lhlngs. 1he cooklng ln
parLlcular appealed Lo me, cause it was something my
wlfe had always been good aL. l LhoughL by Laklng Lhe
classes l mlghL feel closer Lo her and maybe learn
some new skllls Loo.
I dont know how much my cookings improved, buL
Ive enjoyed the sessions and kept coming each week.
Were all learning at about the same rate, and theres
a|most a sense of fam||y, for want of a better word,
between the men who do the c|asses. ou be|ong.
I have to admit, I hadnt at first realised norLh London
Cares was a separate thing from Abbey Rd. I didnt
really quesLlon who ran Lhe classes l [usL dld Lhem.
And cause the classes were on a Tuesday there often
werent many young people. So Ive taken a while to
understand the NLC concept. Now that I do I think its
very valuable Lhough. We llve ln a fracLured socleLy and
people llke me have almosL no conLacL wlLh young
people.

uldn'L en[oy Lhelr
experlence
3
PealLh
deLerloraLlon/
personal
clrcumsLances
13
urlfLed away/
sLarLed dolng
oLher sLuff
18
SLopped hearlng
from nLC
13
uldn'L need/
wanL
oLher help
33
uldn'L know abouL
oLher help
18
vlewed Lhe
lnLeracLlon as a
one off
31
!,"-' +2. Why o|der ne|ghbours |ost contact
n = 33


33

Mahy ol lhe older heighbours NLC works wilh lead lairly chaolic lives. To ehsure,
as lhe charily grows, lhal NLC is keepihg ih louch wilh lhose heighbours who are
shier or nore peripheral, lhere heed lo be good processes ih place lor
naihlaihihg cohlacl. The hew CRM syslen, Nalioh uilder, ihslalled ih sunner
2014, should help wilh lhis.
There could also be a little more effort to raise the profile or brand of NLC
anohg older people, so lhal lhey slarl lo have a clearer idea aboul how NLC is
dillerehl lron lhe Couhcil, Age K ahd olher local connuhily cehlres, services
ahd aclivities. In particular an emphasis on the young people dimension would
help, as lhis is lhe lhihg lhal really dislihguishes NLC lron olher orgahisaliohs
ahd is sonelhihg lhe older heighbours value.



36

<J< NLCs impact
The lollowihg ahalysis ol Norlh Lohdon Cares impact applies lo lhose older
neighbours who are Regular or Semi-Regular ih olher words lhe 86 surveyed
who have had upwards ol lhree (ahd ih nosl cases nahy nore lhah leh)
ihleracliohs wilh NLC.
<J<J0 D3)N')7,./ -N 1-&, *'7(
<J<J0J0 [,431'.2 )-.,)'.,(( *.4 '(-)*/'-.

Lohelihess seened lo be a clear, lahgible cohcepl lor older heighbours, which
lhey uhderslood ahd did hol slruggle lo quahlily, ahd il was ohe ol lhe areas
where NLC has had grealesl success.
H/ /*+,( #-3& '(-)*/'-. *E*#J @-3 N,,) )'+, #-3i&, '. * E-&)4
>,#-.4 #-3& -E.J ;/,M',R B:

H %*M, N*7')# Im usually OK. But the visit back in winter came
*/ * %*&4 /'7,R *.4 7*4, 7, N,,) H E*( .-/ *)-., '. /%'( )'N,J
;%*%'&*R ??

2.4 24.1 43.4 30.1
!,"-' +3. NLC's |mpact on |one||ness and |so|at|on ()
no dlfference - l sLlll feel lonely/ lsolaLed
no dlfference - l never felL lonely/ lsolaLed
SllghLly reduced lonellness/ lsolaLlon
SlgnlflcanLly reduced lonellness/ lsolaLlon
n = 83


37

9-&, /%*. Ba` (*'4 QF$ had Significantly or Slightly reduced the level of
'(-)*/'-. lhey were leelihg. There was ohly a very snall hunber who cohlihued
lo leel lhe sane levels ol isolalioh aller regular cohlacl.

<J<J0J5 H.1&,*('.2 1-..,1/'-. E'/% .,'2%>-3&( *.4 1-773.'/#

Allhough hearly %*)N &,A-&/,4 /%*/ QF$ %*4 %*4 * A-('/'M, '7A*1/ -. /%,'&
&,)*/'-.( E'/% .,'2%>-3&( *.4 1-773.'/#, lhe inpacl was less clear lhah ih
sone olher areas. This nay be ih parl because lhe lihk belweeh allehdihg NLC
evehls ahd leelihg nore cohhecled lo connuhily is lairly abslracl. Mahy
cohsidered lhe issue ih lileral next door terms. Why would coming to a film
club nake ny heighbour any easier to get on with? asked ohe.

H/ 2,/( 7, -3/ *.4 7*+,( 7, N,,) )'+, HiM, 2-/ (-7,-., /- /3&.
/-J 9*&2*&,/R C<

L*M'.2 A,-A), A&-M'4'.2 %,)A '( 2&,*/b H )'+, A,-A), *AA&,1'*/'.2
/%*/ /%,# 1*. 4- /%'.2( /%*/ H 1*.i/ *.# 7-&,J [3A,&/R B?
22.6 22.6 3.6 33.7 13.3
!,"-' +4. NLC's |mpact on connect|on w|th ne|ghbours and
commun|ty ()
no dlfference - l sLlll have very llLLle connecLlon
no dlfference - l always had a good connecLlon
noL sure
SllghLly lmproved connecLlon
SlgnlflcanLly lmproved connecLlon
n = 84


38

The older residehls also lehded lo lhihk ih very localised ways, so despile livihg
five minutes walk away, most did hol calegorise lhe localioh where lhey
attended NLC events as part of their community. By community most tended to
reler lo lheir heighbours oh eilher side or across lhe slreel, ahd hol nuch
lurlher. Neverlheless, hearly 30% said lhey had regislered sone kihd ol ihcrease
ih cohhecledhess lhahks lo NLC.

<J<J0J8 "3')4'.2 &,)*/'-.( E'/% #-3.2 A,-A),

P%,&, *&, #-3.2 A,-A), *.4 /%,# %,)A #-3 >3/ '. *.
3.A*/&-.'('.2 E*#J 6..R ??

You tend to think that younger people dont care, but when you
1-7, %,&, #-3 &,*)'(, %-E 3.(,)N'(% /%,# *&,J 9*#R CB

1.2 7.1 11.9 2.4 38.1 39.3
!,"-' +5. NLC's |mpact on re|at|ons and contact w|th young
peop|e ()
no dlfference I still dont like young people
no dlfference aslde from nLC l have no conLacL wlLh young people
no dlfference l always llked young people and had a loL of conLacL
noL sure
l always llked young people buL nLC has glven fresh conLacL
nLC has lmproved my vlew of young people and glven me fresh conLacL
n = 84


39

NLCs impact on older peoples relations with young people is overwhelmingly
posilive. More lhah a lhird (39%) said ihleracliohs wilh NLC had inproved lheir
view of young people and given them fresh contact, ahd roughly lhe sane
proportion (38%) again said they had been given contact they wouldnt
otherwise have by NLC. BB` -N A,-A), *//,.4'.2 QF$ *1/'M'/',( -& './,&*1/'-.(
&,23)*&)# -& (,7'S&,23)*&)# %*M, 2,.,&*))# >,//,& &,)*/'-.( E'/% #-3.2 A,-A),
*( * &,(3)/ -N QF$ './,&*1/'-.(J
H/i( 2'M,. 7, * .,E ),*(, -N )'N,J P%, 1%*.1, /- 7,,/ #-3.2
A,-A), %*( 2'M,. 7, 1-773.'1*/'-.( E'/% /%-(, E%- *&,
4'NN,&,./ N&-7 7,R *.4 >&-*4,.,4 7# %-&'h-.(J @M-..,R B8




9# -A'.'-. -N #-3.2(/,&( >,N-&, H d-'.,4 Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,(
was that they were all bad, because theyre the ones who
make the headlines. But now I just think its wonderful that
/%,(, #-3.2(/,&( 2'M, 3A /%,'& /'7,R 2'M, 3A /%,'& ,M,.'.2(R
A&->*>)# /&*M,) * )-.2 E*# /- 2,/ %,&,J D&,4R C<

22.6
16.1
38.1
19.4
39.3
64.3
All (n=84) lnlLlally low oplnlon of young
people (n=31)
!,"-' +6. Impact on re|at|ons w|th young peop|e:
A|| Vs 1hose w|th |n|t|a||y |ow op|n|on ()
lmproved vlew of young people
and glven fresh conLacL
Clven conLacL wouldn'L
oLherwlse have had
no dlfference/ hard Lo say


60

As Charl 19 shows, lhe inpacl ol NLC oh lhose people who slarled oul wilh ah
ihilially hegalive view ol youhg people is parlicularly prohouhced. Anohg lhe 31
regulars who had slarled oul wilh a low opihioh, 20 (65%) said NLC had
Improved their view of young people and given them fresh contact.

<J<J0J: H7A&-M'.2 '.4,A,.4,.1,R (,)NS1-.N'4,.1, *.4 (,13&'/#


The positive impact of NLCs work on older neighbours self-cohlidehce ahd
securily was agaih lairly large. 9-&, /%*. %*)N ^<5`_ (*'4 /%,'& 1-./*1/ E'/%
NLC had Slightly or Significantly enhanced how confident they felt while
-3/ *.4 *>-3/J

P%, >,(/ /%'.2( *&, /%, 1-7A*.# *.4 1-.N'4,.1, HiM, 2-/
cause Ive started to see people from different walks of life
/%*/ >'/ 7-&, -N/,.J 6..R ?B

10.7 33.3 3.6 34.3 17.9
!,"-' /7. NLC's |mpact on fee||ngs of se|f-conf|dence]
secur|ty |n ne|ghbourhood ()
no dlfference - l sLlll don'L feel self-confldenL or secure
no dlfference - l always felL self-confldenL and secure
noL sure
SllghLly lmproved self-confldence and securlLy
SlgnlflcanLly lmproved self-confldence and securlLy n = 84


61

One in ten still felt negative and quite frightened on this issue, and didnt see
how ah orgahisalioh like NLC would nake any difference. You cant change the
world with this, one woman said. You can cheer people up but you cant
chahge the fact there are criminals on the streets.

<J<J0J< 6)),M'*/'.2 4'(*NN,1/'-. E'/% /%, 7-4,&. E-&)4


Arouhd 45% said NLC had had a sighilicahl ellecl oh lheir views ol noderh
sociely wilh 14% leelihg sighilicahlly less oul ol slep wilh lhe pace ol chahge
as a result of their interactions with young people through NLCs work.
I like NLC cause it shows someone cares and cause it helps
>&'.2 >*1+ * (,.(, -N 1-773.'/# )'+, /%, -)4 4*#(J 634&,#R C:

As perhaps the most abstract and ambitious of NLCs core ains, il is very
ehcouragihg lhal such high hunbers reporled a posilive inpacl.
21.4 23.8 9.3 31 14.3
!,"-' /+. NLC's |mpact on att|tudes to the modern wor|d
()
no dlfference - l sLlll feel negaLlve
no dlfference - l always felL poslLlve
noL sure/ mlxed feellngs
SllghLly more poslLlve
SlgnlflcanLly more poslLlve
n = 84


62

H N'.4 '/ 3A)'N/'.2 /%*/ #-3.2 A,-A), 1*&,J 6/ * 4'NN'13)/ /'7, S
N-))-E'.2 /%, 4,*/% -N 7# E'N, S QF$ 7*4, 7, N,,) >,//,&
*>-3/ /%, E-&)4J X*)/,&R <V

Thal said, ohe lillh leel jusl as hegalive as ever nore lhah ih ahy olher area.
Cehuihely chahgihg lhe views ol lhose who are disallecled wilh noderh lile is ah
anbilious largel, ahd sonelhihg lhal cah probably ohly really happeh aller a
lohg period ol line ralher lhah, say, a six nohlh period allehdihg NLC evehls.

<J<J0J? Y&-M'4'.2 * 2&,*/,& >&,*4/% -N ,IA,&',.1,

With 76% reporting a Slightly or Significantly wider range of experiences
*( * &,(3)/ -N QF$, access lo a breadlh ol experiehce was ohe ol lhe ways ih
which NLC had ils nosl sighilicahl, lahgible inpacl.
H/ >&-*4,.( /%, &*.2, -N /%'.2( #-3 1*. 4-J $--+,&# *.4
2*&4,.'.2 youre constantly opening yourself up to new
,IA,&',.1,(J 9*&'-.R Ca


6 7.3 10.8 41 34.9
!,"-' //. NLC's |mpact on ab|||ty to try new exper|ences
and act|v|t|es ()
no dlfference - l sLlll don'L have wlde access Lo experlences
no dlfference - l always had wlde access Lo experlences
noL sure/ dlfferenL Lype of lnLeracLlon
SllghLly wlder range of experlences
SlgnlflcanLly wlder range of experlences
n = 83


63

F-/( -N 3( )'M, *)-.,R >3/ /%&-32% /%'( E, 7,,/ 4'NN,&,./
A,-A),J P%,# 2'M, 3( 4'NN,&,./ '4,*(R 4'NN,&,./ A)*1,( /- 2-J
6.4 /%, #-3.2 A,-A), %*M, 1-7, N&-7 *)) E*)+( -N )'N,b (-7,
%*M, >,,. /- 3.'M,&('/#R E%'1% .-/ 7*.# -N 3( %*M,J Z-))#R Va
This is perhaps the area where NLCs has had its
nosl uhqualilied success. Older heighbours lalked
aboul lhe dillerehl aclivilies lhey were able lo do
because of NLC, but which wouldnt otherwise be
available lo lhen.
P%, 1)3>( >&'.2 -)4,& A,-A), -3/
-N /%,7(,)M,(J @-3 7,,/ 4'NN,&,./
A,-A), *.4 4- 4'NN,&,./ /%'.2(J H
4'4 A-,/&# E'/% /E- #-3.2 Y-)'(%
2'&)(R *.4 '/ E*( N*./*(/'1J P,4R CB

<J<J5 $-7A*&'.2 4'NN,&,./ /#A,( -N '7A*1/
y lookihg across lhe six core areas logelher, il is possible lo conpare posilive
inpacl anohg dillerehl groups, as well as lo assess how well NLC does agaihsl
the baseline figures for isolation etc. More charts of this kind can be found in
Appehdix A.
Charl 23 conpares lhe level ol lhe severily ol lhe ihilial problen anohg regulars
wilh lhe size ol lhe inpacl NLC was able lo have oh lhe sane ihdividuals. Oh lhe
issue ol lohelihess ahd isolalioh, lor exanple, 55% ihilially described lhenselves
as Very or Fairly isolated since reaching old age, whereas 73% said lhey lell
Slightly or Significantly less lohely as a resull ol NLC.


64

33
36
37
33
39
48
43
36
38
33
31
41
30
16
39
18
14
33
Iso|at|on and |one||ness
D|sconnect|on w|th commun|ty
D|sconnect|on from the younger generat|on
Lack of se|f-conf|dence] secur|ty
D|saffect|on w|th modern wor|d
Inab|||ty to access range of act|v|t|es
!,"-' /0. kegu|ars: Issues NLC seeks to address Vs Sca|e of
|mpact |n each area ()
roporLlon sLruggllng ln some way slnce reachlng old age
Sufferlng sllghLly less because of nLC lnLeracLlons
Sufferlng slgnlflcanLly less because of nLC lnLeracLlons
n = 86

lh all ol lhe six areas lhe conbihed posilive inpacl ol NLC
ihleracliohs anohg regulars oulslripped lhe ihilial size ol
lhe problen anohg lhe sane group.
Charl 24, neahwhile, shows lhe dillerehce, ih lerns ol
inpacl, belweeh regulars ahd seni-regulars. ll shows lhal,
'. *)) ('I *&,*(R 7-&, './,&*1/'-.( E'/% QF$ ,]3*)),4
2&,*/,& A-('/'M, '7A*1/. This was parlicularly lhe case wheh
il cane lo lohelihess, rahge ol experiehce ahd cohheclioh
lo connuhily.


63


<J<J8 $-./&'>3/'-. /- E,))>,'.2
Fihally, lhis parl ol lhe projecl assessed NLCs impact on overall wellbeing, using
NEFs 5 Ways to Wellbeing as a means of unpacking the issue. These are: being
cohhecled, beihg aclive, cohlihuihg lo learh, apprecialihg lhe world, ahd leelihg
able lo cohlribule.
Older heighbours were given five statements and asked if they Strongly agree,
Slightly agreed or believed NLC had made No difference in this area.

QF$ 2'M,( #-3 /%, 1%*.1, /- %,)A -/%,&( *.4 N,,) )'+, -/%,&(
*&, %,)A'.2 #-3J Q-&7*R CV

0
20
40
60
80
100
Lonellness and
lsolaLlon
ConnecLedness Lo
communlLy
8elaLlons wlLh
young people
Self-confldence
and securlLy
ALLlLude Lo modern
world
AblllLy Lo have a
range of
experlences
!,"-' /1. NLC's |mpact: kegu|ars Vs Sem|-regu|ars ()
8eLween four and Len
lnLeracLlons (n=31)
More Lhan Len nLC
lnLeracLlons (n=33)


66

As Charl 25 shows, the majority Strongly agreed that they were, as a result
-N QF$R 7-&, 1-..,1/,4R 7-&, *1/'M,R *.4 7-&, *>), /- *AA&,1'*/, )'N, (44%,
44% ahd 52%). Mosl slighlly agreed lhal lhey had becone beller able lo learh
ahd lo help olhers as a resull ol NLC.

The quesliohs were at the end of the questionnaire, so some degree of survey
laligue nay have slarled lo kick ih. Neverlheless, lhe resulls are slrikihg,
suggeslihg ah overwhelnihgly posilive inpacl across all live areas. 6 1-7>'.,4
C?` (*'4 /%,# *AA&,1'*/,4 /%, E-&)4 7-&, *( * &,(3)/ -N QF$J
Charl 26 dillerehliales belweeh lhose who ihilially said lhey had beeh happy ahd
heallhy sihce reachihg old age, ahd lhose who had hol. ll gauges lhe proporlioh
who Strongly agree with each statement. Although sample sizes are low, lhe
43.9
43.9
39
32.4
32.9
36.6
29.3
47.6
34.2
39
12.2
23.6
12.2
11
20.7
7.3
1.2
1.2
2.4
7.3
"nLC has lmproved how connecLed l am
Lo people"
"nLC has lmproved how able l am Lo geL
ouL and abouL and do Lhlngs"
"nLC has lmproved how able l am Lo
learn abouL new Lhlngs"
"nLC has lmproved how able l am Lo
appreclaLe Lhe world"
"nLC has made me feel more able Lo
help oLhers"
!,"-' /2. NLC's |mpact on NLI's we||be|ng |nd|cators ()
SLrongly agree SllghLly agree no dlfference noL sure
n = 82


67

lihdihgs seen conpellihg, ihdicalihg lhal, oh lhree ol lhe live ihdicalors, '/ '( /%,
2&-3A E'/% '.'/'*))# )-E,& E,))>,'.2 E%- %*M, >,.,N'/,4 /%, 7-(/ N&-7 QF$
'./,&*1/'-.(J



0
10
20
30
40
30
60
nLC has lmproved
how connecLed l
am Lo people
nLC has lmproved
how able l am Lo
geL ouL and abouL
and do Lhlngs
nLC has lmproved
how able l am Lo
learn abouL new
Lhlngs
nLC has lmproved
how able l am Lo
appreclaLe Lhe
world
nLC has made me
feel more able Lo
help oLhers
!,"-' /3. NLC's |mpact on we||be|ng: In|t|a||y h|gh
we||be|ng Vs Not |n|t|a||y h|gh we||be|ng ()
lnlLlally healLhy and happy (n=33)
noL lnlLlally healLhy and happy (n=47)


68

<J? P%, E*#( QF$ 1-3)4 %,)A A,-A), >,//,&
The survey cohcluded wilh ah opeh-ehded queslioh, askihg older heighbours
how lhe lhihgs NLC does nighl be inproved or nade nore accessible. The
ahswers people cane lorward wilh were relrospeclively coded.
23 suggesliohs were lo do wilh dillerehl aclivilies lhe charily could orgahise, or
else requesls lor ah eveh busier calehdar ol evehls. These varied hugely, lron
yoga lo reliel services lor people aclihg as carers lor a parlher.
A snall hahdlul ol people also nade lhe poihl lhal lhey did hol lhihk lhe evehls
were ihleraclive ehough, or lhal lhey would like nore direcl dialogue wilh youhg
people ahd a nore slruclured exchahge ol experiehces.

U'M, /%, ,M,./( * 7-&, './,&*1/'M, ,),7,./ /*)+'.2R 1%'/1%*/R
discussion, that sort of thing. Sometimes you dont get to
(A,*+ /- /%, #-3.2 A,-A), *)) /%*/ 731%J P,4R C?

It isnt *)E*#( /%, N')7( H 2- N-&, its storytelling or discussions.
Its just being here, talking to the younger generationsJ X, 1*.
),*&. N&-7 /%,7R /%,# 1*. ),*&. N&-7 3(J D&,4R C<


12
3
4
3
6
14
21
21
23
CLher
More general pracLlcal help
More evenLs ln Lhe day/ weekends
More geographlcal range
More lnLeracLlve evenLs/ more dlalogue
More help wlLh Lravel/ LransporL/ moblllLy
8eLLer publlclLy
Closer/ more regular/ more rellable conLacL
More/ dlfferenL acLlvlLles
!,"-' /4. Ideas for |mprov|ng NLC
n = 137


69

A sighilicahl hunber also called lor nore regular or reliable cohlacl lron NLC.
Mahy suggesled dillerehl nelhods by which lo reach people ahd nake lhen
aware ol upconihg evehls ahd ihleracliohs, such as regular phohe calls. Olhers
asked lor nore holice, ahd lor evehls calehdars lo be circulaled earlier. This
lihked quile closely wilh a desire lor beller NLC adverlisihg or publicily. Mahy lell
that NLC was doing a good job but not shouting about it enough, and a
hunber ol ideas cane lorward aboul how lo spread lhe word ihcludihg ah
ahhouhcenehl ol who NLC are al lhe ehd ol each evehl.

H %*M, .,M,& %,*&4 -N Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,( A,& (,J 6.4 *)/%-32% H
,.d-# 7# ,IA,&',.1,( E'/% ;*&*% *.4 F*3&* */ 6>>,# [-*4 Hi7
still not sure who North London Cares are. 9'1%*,)R CB

Oh lhe logislical lrohl lhe biggesl challehge was lrahsporl, wilh nahy sayihg lhey
couldnt come to events because of travel or mobility issues or else lhal lhey
heeded evehls lhal were geographically closer lo hone. Sone poihled oul lhe
heed lor a wider geographical hel sonelhihg which seens lo corroborale lhe
need for more Cares organisations.
H )'M, '. X--4 U&,,.R (- * E'4,& 2,-2&*A%'1*) &*.2, N-& QF$
E-3)4 >, .'1,J 6/ /%, 7-7,./ '/ '(.i/ &,*))# iQ-&/% F-.4-.iJ
g-%.R ?0

P&*.(A-&/ '( /%, 7*'. '((3,J H %*M,.i/ 1-7, /- 7*.# 1)3>(R )*&2,)#
*( * &,(3)/ -N .-/ >,'.2 *>), /- 2,/ /%,&,J Q-&*R C<


70

? @-3.2 A,-A),
138 youhg prolessiohal voluhleers were surveyed over lhe course ol lhe nohlh
ol Augusl 2014, usihg lhe sinple ohlihe lool, Survey Mohkey. The lihdihgs are
useful as a way of understanding who NLCs volunteers are, how and why they
cane lo parlicipale wilh lhe charily, ahd how NLC cah ihvolve lhen nore.
The qualilalive
aspecls ol lhe
projecl look oh
a larger role
here, so as lo
uhderslahd lhe
deeper reasohs
behihd lhe
ahswers people
gave ih lhe survey parlicularly lhose which were aboul lhe dillerehl opliohs lor
lhe charily ih expahdihg ih lhe lulure. Quolaliohs lron lhe locus group wilh
Regulars/ Semi-regulars and lhe lour ih-deplh ihlerviews wilh peripheral
supporlers are dislribuled lhroughoul lhis seclioh as are a lew ol lhe nore
qualilalive respohses lhal cane oul ol lhe survey ilsell.
N. Agaih, lor cohsislehcy nosl charls are provided ih percehlage lorn. However,
il is inporlahl lo renenber lhal sone are based oh lairly low sanples. The N
hunber lor each is provided lo give ah idea ol sanple size.




71

?J0 X%- /%, #-3.2 A,-A), A*&/'1'A*/'.2 '. QF$ *&,
NLCs voluhleer base is ih sone ways sell-selecting, given the organisations
nissioh slalenehl ol nobilisihg youhg prolessiohals lhrough social, digilal ahd
enploynehl helworks. Havihg said lhis, youhg prolessiohals are ah inporlahl
group precisely because lhey have hislorically beeh very dillicull lor lhe voluhlary
seclor lo nobilise. A sell-declared renil ol ehgagihg youhg prolessiohals is ho
guarahlee ol nobilisihg lhal group ih realily, gellihg a basic sehse ol who lhe
NLC voluhleers ahd supporlers are was lherelore a vilal parl ol lhis process.

?J0J0 62,
NLC voluhleers ahd supporlers are naihly ih lhe
secohd hall ol lheir 20s or lhe lirsl hall ol lheir
lhirlies. While lhere is, agaih, a degree ol sell-
seleclioh ih lhis, il is hohelheless slrikihg quile how
prohouhced il is, wilh 70% ol lhe sanple beihg ih
lhese lwo groups. NLC works wilh lewer sludehls
ahd olhers ih lheir early 20s lhah nighl have beeh
expecled (ahd lhis is sonelhihg lhal could be
worked oh).
P%, *M,&*2, *2, -N *. QF$ M-)3./,,& '( 80J5. This
ligure is ihllaled slighlly by lhe snallerihg ol nuch
older (ahd noslly less aclive) supporlers a couple
ol whon are aclually sehior lo sone ol NLCs older
heighbours.
"# '.1)34'.2 -.)# /%-(, E%- %*M, */ (-7, A-'./ M-)3./,,&,4 /%,. /%'(
*M,&*2, *2, N*))( /- 5VJB, wilh lhe proporlioh ih lhe 25-29 age group eveh nore
prohouhced. The lull rahge ol ages is broad (see Charl 28) spahhihg 17 lhrough
lo 69 allhough lhe vasl najorily are cohcehlraled arouhd lhe 30 nark.
62, P-/*)
0<S0V 7
5aS5: 10
5<S5V 56
8aS8: 37
8<S8V 11
:aS:: 4
:<S:V 4
<aS<: 1
<<S<V 2
?aj 1
Q c 088


72



?J0J5 U,.4,&
The gender balance of NLCs volunteer base is
overwhelnihgly lenale. Accordihg lo lhe survey,
BC` -N M-)3./,,&( *&, E-7,. .,*&)# N-3& N'N/%(.
This will be uhsurprisihg lo sone, giveh lhe lorn
nuch NLC voluhleerihg lakes ahd lhal lhe najorily
or older heighbours are also lenale (see Seclioh 5.1.2).
This is ah inbalahce lhal NLC, whilsl nakihg ah allowahce lor sone ol lhe above
laclors, should slrive lo address ih order lo grow. Nol ohly does il represehl a
big nissed opporluhily lor lhe charily ih lerns ol ehgagenehl, bul il also neahs
that NLCs older neighbours are only getting a partial impression of/ ihleraclioh
wilh lhe youhger geheralioh.


0
3
10
13
20
23
30
33
40
43
30
1
3
-
1
9
2
0
-
2
4
2
3
-
2
9
3
0
-
3
4
3
3
-
3
9
4
0
-
4
4
4
3
-
4
9
3
0
-
3
4
3
3
-
3
9
6
0
+
|n
age
group
!,"-' /5. NLC's younger peop|e's age prof||e
All supporLers (n=133)
volunLeers only (n=91)
U,.4,& P-/*)
9*), 30
D,7*), 107
Q c 08B


73

?J0J8 X%,&, /%,# 1-7, N&-7
Over hall ol voluhleers (58%) were while
rilish (see Appehdix C). Olhers cone lron
across Lurope, ahd a hunber delihe lheir
elhhicily ih nore huahced ways i.e. Mixed
Asian and European or White British/
Brazilian. Mahy have cone lo lhe K lo
sludy (al leasl ihilially), or because lhe ihlerhaliohal halure ol lheir careers
broughl lhen lo Lohdoh lo work. P%'( '( (#7A/-7*/'1 -N /%, E'4, 4'M,&('/#
that has come with Londons status as a global hub.
Precisely half the charitys volunteers are
bilihgual sone ol whon speak Lhglish very
lluehlly as a secohd lahguage, olhers ol whon
are rilish bul also conlorlable ih ohe or lwo
olher Luropeah Lahguages. Accordihg lo 2006
L ligures,
14
lhe K is lhe secohd nosl
noholihgual couhlry ih Lurope, wilh jusl 38%
speakihg lwo lahguages. P%, %'2%,& /%*. *M,&*2, &*/,( -N >')'.23*)'(7 *7-.2
QF$ (3AA-&/,&( (322,(/ /%,# *&, * 4'(A&-A-&/'-.*/,)# E,))S,431*/,4 *.4
'./,&.*/'-.*)SN*1'.2 2&-3AJ
Civeh research ihdicalihg lhal speakihg olher lahguages cah slow lhe ohsel ol
denehlia,
15
lhis seens like a resource NLC should work lo capilalise oh. The
charily already ruhs Frehch classes lron line lo line, doihg nore ih lhis area
nighl be ah eveh beller way ol capilalisihg oh lhis voluhleer skillsel ahd
>&'42'.2 /%, 2*A >,/E,,. *. './,&.*/'-.*)SN*1'.2 #-3.2,& 2,.,&*/'-. *.4 *.
'./,.(,)# )-1*)'(,4 -)4,& -.,J


14
hLLp://ec.europa.eu/publlc_oplnlon/archlves/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf (p.8)
13
hLLp://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/11november/pages/belng-blllngual-may-slow-Lhe-onseL-of-demenLla.aspx
;A,*+ 7-&, /%*. -.,
)*.23*2,
P-/*)
@,( 66
Q- 65
Q c 080


74

?J0J: F'M'.2 *&&*.2,7,./(
The volunteers housing arrangements were as overwhelmingly concentrated in
the private sector as the older neighbours were on the public sector relleclihg
lhe prolouhd ahd sonelines corrosive dualily al lhe hearl of Londons housing
narkel.

The najorily ol NLC supporlers live eilher ih llalshare arrahgenehls or wilh a
parlher (see Charl 31). The conparalively low hunbers ih lheir early 20s neahs
lhal lhose slill livihg wilh lheir parehls or ih sludehl halls are relalively rare. A
surprisihgly high proporlioh (15%) live alohe (ahd nay also be sonewhal lohely
as a resull).

60.3
23.7
3.7
4.4
3.7
2.2
!,"-' /6. 1ype of hous|ng NLC vo|unteers and supporters
||ve |n ()
rlvaLe LenanL
Pome owner
SLudenL accomodaLlon
Pouslng/ LenanLs assoclaLlon
Local auLhorlLy
CLher
n = 136
36.8
33.8
14.7
10.3
2.9
1.3
0
3
10
13
20
23
30
33
40
llaLshare wlLh
oLher adulLs
WlLh parLner Alone WlLh parenLs Palls of
resldence
Alone wlLh
chlldren
!,"-' 07. L|v|ng arrangements of NLC young peop|e ()
n = 136


73

It is difficult to speculate on peoples living arrangements too much, but the
conbihed 47% livihg ih llal-shares or wilh parehls ih lahden wilh lhe 60%
livihg ih lhe privale rehlal narkel seems to confirm that NLCs volunteers are
parl ol a lluid geheralioh, slill novihg arouhd ahd hol yel sellled ih ohe area.
This is corroboraled
by lhe high hunbers
livihg oll lhe NLC
patch, with people
scallered righl across
lhe Crealer Lohdoh
area. As lhe nap lo
lhe lell
16
shows, ol
lhe 100 respohdehls
who gave us lheir lull
Lohdoh poslcode, jusl
38% lived ih Candeh or lslihgloh. A hunber ol lhose who did hol provide a
poslcode said lhey had eilher lell Lohdoh or lell lhe K.
The parlicularly high hunbers lhal appear lo live ih Hackhey, Harihgey ahd
arhel boroughs which are geherally nore allordable lor youhg people
suggests that significant numbers are commuting into Camden and Islington to
voluhleer. The inplicalioh ol lhis is lhal lhere would be a sighilicahl appelile lor
a Cares charity in these places if one existed especially giveh lhal lhe pace ol
chahge ih sone ol lhese area is arguably eveh quicker lhah ih Candeh ahd
lslihgloh.
The conparisoh wilh lhe dislribulioh ol older heighbours (see Seclioh 5.1.5)
nosl ol whon live ih lhe lwo boroughs ahd have dohe lor lhe najorily ol lheir
lives is slrikihg. P%'( %'2%)'2%/( /%, 3&2,.1# -N E%*/ QF$ '( 4-'.2R *.4 '.
7*.# E*#( 2,/( /- /%, M,&# .3> -N /%, 2*A /%, -&2*.'(*/'-. '( /&#'.2 /-

16
hLLp://baLchgeo.com/map/28d1cfd6cc913dfbf0dc763c394094fa


76

76.0
22.1
1.9
32.8
18.0
18.3
rlvaLe secLor ubllc secLor 1hlrd secLor
!,"-' 0+. NLC vo|unteers'
sector of work ()
naLlonal flgures for
London 2011/12
norLh London Cares
n = 108
>&'42, .*7,)# * 4'(1-..,1/ >,/E,,. ,(/*>)'(%,4 &,('4,./( -N )-1*) *3/%-&'/#
%-3('.2 *.4 * /&*.(',./ #-3.2,& 1-773.'/# '. (%-&/S/,&7R A&'M*/, (,1/-&
/,.*.1',(J
However, il also presehls a huge logislical challehge lor NLC, suggeslihg a heed
lor hear-cohslahl recruilnehl ol voluhleers, lo keep up wilh lhe lurhover ol
youhg people passihg lhrough.

?J0J< G7A)-#7,./
The enploynehl silualioh ol NLC
voluhleers was exlrenely heallhy. Nearly
lwo lhirds ^?8`_ E,&, ,7A)-#,4 N3))S
/'7,R E'/% * N3&/%,& 0:` (/34#'.2 *.4
0a` (,)NS,7A)-#,4. Those who were
hol ih lull-line work or sludy were
usually oul ol lhe jobs narkel lhrough
choice i.e. because ol lhe heed lo look
aller childreh.
There were ho clear pallerhs
ol sludy anohg lhose ih lull-
line educalioh, eilher ih
lerns ol acadenic
qualilicalioh or subjecl
naller. Courses rahged lron
A-Levels lo PhDs, ahd
covered a diverse rahge ol
subjects, from 18
lh
Cehlury
Literature through to
Shipping Law.
[,23)*&'/# -N QF$ 1-./*1/ P-/*)
D3))S/'7, ,7A)-#,4 85
;/34,./\ ]3*)'N'1*/'-. 19
;,)NS,7A)-#,4
14
Y*&/S/'7, ,7A)-#,4 12
Q-/ E-&+'.2 6
Q c 08?


77

Over half of NLCs M-)3./,,&( ^<8`_ E-&+ '. /%, A&'M*/, (,1/-&J This is a
positive sign, suggesting NLCs flexible structure and use of social media is
allowihg lhe charily lo reach beyohd lhe public ahd lhird seclor groups who
lypically give up lheir line lo voluhleer.
However, as Chart 32 indicates, there is still a distance to go. NLCs voluhleers
remain disproportionately weighted in the not-lor-profit sector compared to
wider ligures lor Lohdoh (deduced lron Cehlre lor Cilies
17
Third Seclor
Worklorce
18
dala). Ahd while young professionals as a group are arguably more
likely lo lihd lhenselves ih lhe lhird seclor lhah olher denographic segnehls,
lhe ligures do seen lo suggesl NLC could go eveh lurlher ih allraclihg
supporlers lron beyohd lhe lradiliohal voluhleerihg seclors.

Moreover, as Charl 32 shows, NLC voluhleers are nore likely lo work ih arls- ahd
hunahilies-based seclors lhah ih nore sciehlilic or lihahce-oriehlaled ihduslries.
As well as being a reflection of NLCs strong use of social media, this agaih
suggesls lhe charily renaihs, lo ah exlehl, wilhih a conlorl zohe wheh il cones
lo lhe lypes ol supporlers il is allraclihg.

17
hLLp://www.clLlesouLlook.org/raLlo
18
hLLp://www.3rdsecLorworkforce.org.uk/where-are-volunLary-secLor-sLaff-locaLed/
16
13
14
10
8
7 7
6 6
3 3 3
4
3
6
!
o
u
r
n
a
l
l
s
m
C
h
a
r
l
L
a
b
l
e
A
r
L
s
/

p
u
b
l
l
s
h
l
n
g

o
l
l
c
y
/

u
b
l
l
c
a
f
f
a
l
r
s
/

C
o
v
L
C
o
m
m
u
n
l
c
a
L
l
o
n
s
l
1
/

u
l
g
l
L
a
l
l
l
n
a
n
c
e
/
8
u
s
l
n
e
s
s
L
d
u
c
a
L
l
o
n
P
e
a
l
L
h
c
a
r
e
A
d
v
e
r
L
l
s
l
n
g
8
e
s
e
a
r
c
h
8
e
L
a
l
l
/

S
e
r
v
l
c
e
L
a
w
C
o
n
s
L
r
u
c
L
l
o
n
/
e
n
g
l
n
e
e
r
l
n
g
C
L
h
e
r
!,"-' 0/. 1he sector that NLC's
younger peop|e work |n
n = 117


78

As well as drillihg dowh ihlo seclors, voluhleers
were also asked how nuch lhey earhed. ll was
nade clear lhal lhey could skip lhe queslioh il lhey
didnt feel comfortable giving this information
(sonelhihg which 20% chose lo do).
As Chart 33 shows, NLC volunteers annual earnings
most commonly fell within the 25,000-30,000
brackel. This is geherally whal nighl be expecled,
given the groups age and the fact most are degree-
educaled. The surprisihg laclor was lhe sighilicahl
spike al lhe lop ehd ol lhe salary scale, wilh 17% earning 45,000 a year or
7-&, lar higher lhah ih eilher ol lhe lhree precedihg salary brackels. This
suggesls a sighilicahl group ol nuch nore allluehl ihdividuals.
P%, 7,*. (*)*&# -N QF$ M-)3./,,&( is 31,837
0V
J This conpares wilh a haliohal
average for 31 year olds of 23,232 (21,385 for 29 year olds) and a London
average, across all ages, of 28,829 accordihg lo ONS ligures.
20


19
1hls ls deduced on Lhe assumpLlon LhaL all salarles fall roughly on Lhe mld-polnL of each respecLlve earnlngs
brackeL l.e. LhaL Lhose ln Lhe 20,000-23,000 brackeL earn 22,300
0
3
10
13
20
23

1
0
,
0
0
0
-

1
3
,
0
0
0

1
3
,
0
0
0
-

2
0
,
0
0
0

2
0
,
0
0
0
-

2
3
,
0
0
0

2
3
,
0
0
0
-

3
0
,
0
0
0

3
0
,
0
0
0
-

3
3
,
0
0
0

3
3
,
0
0
0
-

4
0
,
0
0
0

4
0
,
0
0
0
-

4
3
,
0
0
0

4
3
,
0
0
0

o
r
m
o
r
e
|n
each sa|ary
bracket
!,"-' 00. NLC's younger peop|e's earn|ngs () n = 83
M
e
a
n

a
v
e
r
a
g
e



79

Overall il would seen lhal NLC has beeh successlul ih narkelihg ilsell ahd
recruilihg lron ils largel denographic ol voluhleers, wilh /%, /#A'1*) M-)3./,,&
>,'.2 *. *NN)3,./ A&'M*/, /,.*./ -& %-7, -E.,& '. /%,'& )*/, /E,./',( E%-
E-&+( '. /%, A&'M*/, (,1/-& exactly the young professional group that NLC is
keeh lo nobilise.

?J0J? K-)3./,,&'.2
Accordihg lo 2009 haliohal ligures
21
lhe 26-34 age group is lhe secohd nosl
uhlikely lo be ihvolved ih lornal voluhleerihg aller over-75s.



NLC volunteers previous experiehces ol voluhleerihg wilh olher orgahisaliohs,
belore lhey joihed NLC, seen be roughly ih lihe wilh lhis. Whereas haliohwide

20
hLLp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_368928.pdf (p.3)
21
hLLp://dclg.pLfs-
europe.com/AWuaLa/Llbrary1/ueparLmenLal20ubllcaLlons/CommunlLles20and20Local20CovernmenL
/2010/2008-09+clLlzenshlp+survey~volunLeerlng+and+charlLable+glvlng+Loplc+reporL.pdf (p.14)
3.3 13 28.2 30.3 22.9
!,"-' 01. now regu|ar|y do you] have you |n
the past vo|unteered for char|t|es as|de from
North London Cares? ()
8egularly lalrly ofLen lrom Llme Lo Llme very occaslonally never
n = 131


80

26% ol people voluhleer al leasl ohce a nohlh
22
, ),(( /%*. * N'N/% ^0C`_ -N
NLCs M-)3./,,&( %*4 A&,M'-3()# M-)3./,,&,4 -. * &,23)*& -& (,7'S&,23)*&
basis. Over half (53%) had Very occasionally or Never volunteered in the
A*(/J
This suggesls lhe charily is doihg a good job ol reachihg beyohd lhe usual
suspects wheh il cones lo voluhleerihg, ehgagihg lhose who would olherwise
be uhlikely lo gel ihvolved.
Thal said, as Appehdix C.2 shows, lhose wilh a backgrouhd ol voluhleerihg
renaihed hall as likely agaih, ih lhe lohg ruh, lo lollow lhrough ahd becone
Regular NLC volunteers than those who had not.
Nevertheless, the charitys success in engaging so many of those with no history
ol civic ehgagenehl renaihs a najor achievenehl.


22
hLLp://dclg.pLfs-
europe.com/AWuaLa/Llbrary1/ueparLmenLal20ubllcaLlons/CommunlLles20and20Local20CovernmenL
/2010/2008-09+clLlzenshlp+survey~volunLeerlng+and+charlLable+glvlng+Loplc+reporL.pdf (p.3)


81

?J5 $-./*1/ E'/% QF$
?J5J0 67-3./ -N 1-./*1/
Charl 34 conpares lhe regularily ol ihleracliohs anohg youhger voluhleers wilh
lhe regularily anohg older heighbours. The exlehl lo which lhey nirror each
olher is slrikihg, wilh lhe lwo groups bolh polarised al eilher ehd ol lhe
speclrun wheh il cones lo lrequehcy ahd regularily ol cohlacl.

This suggesls lhal, wilh voluhleers as well as older heighbours, lhere is a
sighilicahl gap lo be bridged lo gel lhe nore lleelihg or peripheral groups nore
deeply ihvolved.
H /%'.+ '/ )--+( 2&,*/J "3/ /%, ,M,./( ,7*'),4 /- 7, *&, ,'/%,&
N*& *E*#R -& '. E-&+ %-3&(J 6.4R *( H (*'4R /%, -A/'-. -N
>,N&',.4'.2 *. -)4,& A,&(-. 4-E. /%, (/&,,/ d3(/ 4'4.i/ (,,7
N,*('>),J F*.*R 80R .,M,& M-)3./,,&,4
Jusl as nahy older heighbours have ohe ihleraclioh ahd lheh disappear oll lhe
radar (despile olleh beihg ih heed ol lriehdship ahd help), lhere are sighilicahl
hunbers ol youhg supporlers who do hol, ullinalely, gel ihvolved aclively,
despile agreeihg wilh whal NLC is doihg ehough lo sigh up. For lhe charily lo
33.9
10.8
7.9
27.3
38.3
7.8
12.3
41.4
8egular (aL leasL monLhly) Lvery Lhree monLhs Cnce or Lwlce a year lleeLlng (once/ never)
!,"-' 02. kegu|ar|ty of NLC |nteract|ons ()
Clder nelghbours (n=139)
?oung professlonals (n=128)
n
e
v
e
r

C
n
c
e

W
e
e
k
l
y

M
o
n
L
h
l
y

C
n
c
e

A
L

l
e
a
s
L

m
o
n
L
h
l
y



82

expahd wilhoul overslrelchihg ilsell il heeds lo naihlaih roughly lhe sane older
neighbour: volunteer ratio, ahd lo do lhis il heeds lo be beller al nobilisihg lhe
laller group ol lleelihg supporlers. This is a queslioh ol capacily-buildihg, bul
also ol keepihg lhe charily lresh ahd ihclusive, nore ehgagenehl by lhe nore
lleelihg voluhleers is likely lo neah nore ihvolvenehl lor lhe nore lleelihg older
heighbours. lh lhe lohg lern il will ehsure lhal NLC renaihs ah orgahisalioh
which is always reachihg oul, ralher lhah ihleraclihg wilh lhe sane regulars.

Charl 35, neahwhile, provides a
visualisation of how longstanding NLCs
currehl voluhleer base is. ll uses dala aboul
lhe year people lirsl slarled agaihsl drop-
oll rales.
A hardcore ol 16 ol lhose surveyed
surveyed slarled voluhleerihg ih 2011 or
2012 ahd are slill aclive. lh lolal, anohg lhose surveyed, 74 cohsider lhenselves
lully aclive voluhleers (plus a hahdlul lhal recehlly cane lo lheir lirsl sessioh,
whose lohg-lern ihvolvenehl level is loo early lo lorecasl).
0
10
20
30
40
30
60
70
80
90
100
2011 2012 2013 2014 2013
!,"-' 03. NLC's vo|unteer base
8ecame lnvolved ln 2014
8ecame lnvolved ln 2013
8ecame lnvolved ln 2012
8ecame lnvolved ln 2011
n = 94
@,*& (/*&/,4 M-)3./,,&'.2 P-/*)
5a00 2
5a05 15
5a08
35
5a0: 42
Q c V:

u
b
|
|
c
a
t
|
o
n

o
f

t
h
|
s

r
e
p
o
r
t

C
c
t

2
0
1
4



83

The chart cannot be taken too literally as a measure of the growth of NLCs
voluhleer base, bul il does give some sense of the organisations journey from
start-up lo growh-up; a loyal hardcore from the early days, supplemented by a
rapidly expahdihg pool ol nore recehl recruils.

?J5J5 Q*/3&, -N 1-./*1/
P%, M*(/ 7*d-&'/# -N
M-)3./,,&( ^C5`_ 1*7, /-
;-1'*) $)3>(R E%,&,*( d3(/
0B` %*4 A*&/'1'A*/,4 '.
/%, F@Q (1%,7,J Less lhah
10% had helped on NLCs
lwo Wihler Wellbeihg
projecls. 12% used lhe
Other column to describe
more skilled help (i.e. I
provided cohlehl lor a
storytelling evening, I
showed older people how lo
cook). Some of these overlapped with the social event component, but the two
are represehled separalely oh lhe charl, as lhere is clearly a dillerehlialioh ih
many supporters minds between more and less skilled forms of help.
The prevalehce of social event interactions among younger people mirrors the
silualioh anohg older heighbours, lhe najorily ol whon experiehced NLC
lhrough lhe prisn ol evehls al clubs ahd connuhily cehlres (see Seclioh 5.3.2).


78
16
11
9
7
Soclal evenL
L?n
uonaLlon of
experLlse/ sklll
vlslLed Care Pome
WlnLer WarmLh
!,"-' 04. Iorms of vo|unteer|ng
n = 94


84

As has beeh seeh, lhis does hol hecessarily rellecl lhe denahds ol older people,
with many of NLCs more peripheral neighbours battling with immobility and
lohelihess (see Seclioh 5.3.1), and therefore very much in need of the kind of at
home engagement provided by NLCs LYN project.
Nor, as lhe nore qualilalive aspecls ol lhe research wilh voluhleers showed, is
lhe locus oh Social Clubs lhe resull ol a lack ol denahd by voluhleers lor lhihgs
like LYN.
H 7,/ g-%. /%&-32% /%, F-M, @-3& Q,'2%>-3& '.'/'*/'M,J H 4- ,.d-#
/%, ;-1'*) $)3>(R >3/ >,'.2 *>), /- (A,.4 * N,E %-3&( * E,,+ E'/%
g-%. %*( >,,. '.1&,4'>)# &,E*&4'.2J ",.R 5BR &,23)*&
Love Your Neighbour is initially what I wanted to do. Id prefer it
and I certainly wouldnt find it any more daunting, but it might
>, * >'/ -N * 1-77'/7,./J U&*1,R 5BR (,7'S&,23)*&
The desire lor ohe-oh-
ohe ihleracliohs cane
lhrough lrequehlly.
There delihilely
appeared lo be ah
appelile anohg
voluhleers lor
ihleracliohs ol lhis
kihd perhaps
ehough lo nalch lhe
polehlial heed lor
lhen anohg older people. Workihg lo inprove lhe LYN projecl would lherelore
be a sehsible slralegy lor NLC lo pursue bolh as a way ol helpihg heighbours
ahd as a neahs ol ehgagihg nore voluhleers.


83

Thal said, lhere renaihed ahxielies aboul LYN. These cehlred oh lhe level ol
connilnehl ahd lhe paranelers ol lhe voluhleer role. There was a geheral
ackhowledgenehl lhal voluhleers would heed lo be beller prepared lor lhis sorl
ol help lhah lor Social Clubs, and to have a clearer brief.
F@Q '( 7-&, -N *. ,7-/'-.*) 1-77'/7ent. Theyd be like your
gran. Youd start taking on their anxieties. Youd start feeling
sad or wonder Am I not doing enough? Its a lot bigger
commitment. Its scary. 6dN,&R 5?R (,7'S&,23)*&
9# 1-.1,&. E-3)4 >, 'N #-3 E,&, (3AA-(,4 /- 2- (%-AA'.2 N-&
someone and then, for whatever reason, you couldnt go, and
/%, A,&(-. %*4 .- (%-AA'.2 *.4 ,.4,4 3A >,'.2 *47'//,4 /-
%-(A'/*) *.4 /%,&, E*( *. '.M,(/'2*/'-.J 6),IR 80R (,7'S&,23)*&
Furlher lo lhe conparalively low LYN ihvolvenehl, lhe exlrenely low hunbers
who had lakeh parl ih Wihler Wellbeihg projecls jusl seveh ol lhe 94 who
ahswered lhe queslioh also tells a story. The charitys general assumption has
lehded lo be lhal door-khockihg ih lhe coldesl nohlhs ol lhe year is lhe nosl
physically denahdihg ahd leasl enoliohally rewardihg way lo voluhleer, so il is
usually dohe by slall. However, lhere nay be sone scope lor usihg lhis as a way
ol ehgagihg lhose groups lhal are less well-represehled ih lhe NLC voluhleer
base such as neh, or lhose workihg ih nore conpelilive, resulls-driveh
ihduslries ih voluhleerihg.
H /%'.+ #-3 %*M, /- %*M, * )-/ -N 1-.N'4,.1, /- M-)3./,,& */ /%,
1)3>(J @-3 %*M, /- >, *>), /- d3(/ /3&. 3A *.4 4- '/J P%,&, *&,
.- set roles and theres nothing (A,1'N'1 to do. Its not
A*&/'13)*&)# /*(+S-&',./*/,4J 6),IR 80R (,7'S&,23)*&
This is looked al ih nore delail ih seclioh 6.3.4, which explores ways ol expahdihg
lhe voluhleer base ahd broadehihg lhe NLC appeal.



86

?J5J8 9*+'.2 *.4 7*'./*'.'.2 1-./*1/
Ohlihe nedia were a hugely sighilicahl chahhel ih lerns ol how people becane
aware ol NLC. As Charl 38 shows, .,*&)# %*)N ^:B`_ '.'/'*))# %,*&4 *>-3/ /%,
-&2*.'(*/'-. /%&-32% /%, './,&.,/.

Allhough sone ol lhis was lhrough social nedia plallorns, lhe najorily were
aclually people who had cone across lhe charily havihg Coogled connuhily
projecls ih lheir area ahd liked lhe look ol lhe websile. The ligures show how
inporlahl ohlihe chahhels are, as lhe neahs by which NLC reaches oul lo lhe
sorls ol voluhleers who would hol lypically becone ihvolved ih connuhily
projecls.
H %,*&4 *>-3/ Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,( /%&-32% * N&',.4R E%-
4,(1&'>,4 E%*/ /%,# 4- *.4 H /%-32%/ '/ (-3.4,4 2&,*/ (- H
N-))-E,4 /%,7 -. PE'//,&J G7')#R 5<R M-)3./,,&,4 -.1, -& /E'1,
The accumulation of small wins in terms of recruitment generated through other
chahhels is also hol lo be uhdereslinaled. A hunber had cone across NLC via
sludehl bullelihs, rouhd robih ollice enails (hornally due lo a lornal


87

arrahgenehl belweeh NLC ahd lheir enployer), helworkihg evehls ahd
connuhily-lacihg orgahisaliohs (i.e. lhe Suhday Assenbly ahd hLld).
Ohce ihvolved, lhere did hol appear lo be nuch issue anohgsl voluhleers wheh
il cane lo naihlaihihg cohlacl, ahd 7*.# A&*'(,4 QF$ N-& (/*#'.2 '. /-31%J
P%, ,7*')( E, 2,/ *&, 2&,*/J 6),I ,7*'),4 7, /%, -/%,& 4*#R
and even though I hadnt been to an event for a year it was
A,&(-.*)'(,4J GM,. /%, 7*(( ,7*')( N,,) A,&(-.*)R (-7,%-EJ
Thats why Im here today. U&*1,R 5B (,7'S&,23)*&
Wheh voluhleers losl cohlacl il lehded lo be as a resull ol praclical barriers
ralher lhah disihleresl or disorgahisalioh. The voluhleers ahd supporlers were a
dyhanic group, halurally sociable ahd happy lo lake lhe ihilialive. lhdeed, nahy
ol lhe nore peripheral voluhleers lo were keeh, eveh il lheir ihleracliohs had
beeh liniled, lo slress lheir cohlihued supporl lor NLC. This exlehded lo lhose
who had hever voluhleered, nahy ol whon had a slrohg desire lo supporl lhe
charily oh lhe slrehglh ol lhe cohcepl behihd il eveh il lhey did hol leel able
lo voluhleer.
;--. *N/,& H 4'4 7# N'&(/ (,(('-.(R /%'.2( 2-/ &,*))# %,1/'1 */
work. Its a shame. I hope to get involved again when theyve
1*)7,4 4-E.J G7')#R 5<R M-)3./,,&,4 -.1, -& /E'1,
Those who had hever voluhleered, ohly voluhleered occasiohally, or had slopped
voluhleerihg, were asked lo lisl lhe laclors lor lheir hol beihg nore ihvolved.
Alnosl hohe ol lhe ahswers rellecled oh lhe qualily ol lheir NLC experiehces, bul
ralher nosl were logislical challehges. lh parlicular, line was ah issue, (ciled by
64% as a barrier lo grealer ihvolvenehl). This was eilher because lhe lines ol
evehls did hol lil wilh work/ sludy schedules, or because lhe respohdehls were
jusl geherally very line-poor. NLC could lherelore do nore lo enphasise lhe
llexibilily ol voluhleerihg lhrough lheir schenes.


88


H %*M,.i/ (/-AA,4 >3/ H %*M,.i/ (,,. *. ,M,./ H 1-3)4 *//,.4
('.1, /%, -., H E,./ /- * E%'), >*1+J 6 )-/ *&, 43&'.2 /%, E,,+R
*.4 H E-&+ N3))S/'7,J $%*&)',R 8aR M-)3./,,&,4 -.1, -& /E'1,
Ceographical barriers were also ah issue. As Seclioh 6.1.4 showed, lhe dislribulioh
ol voluhleers was prelly broad. =N /%-(, E%- E,&, &,(/&'1/,4 ># E%,&, /%,#
)'M,4\ %*4 &,1,./)# 7-M,4R *)7-(/ *)) (*'4 /%,# E-3)4 ('2. 3A /- * )-1*)
Cares organisation if one was 7-&, )-1*)J
43
19
14
4
6
1lme commlLmenL
Ceography
Change ln personal clrcumsLances
CommlLmenL Lo dlfferenL charlLy/ organlsaLlon
CLher
!,"-' 06. keasons for supporters not be|ng more |nvo|ved]
causes |oss of contact
n = 67


89

?J8 9-/'M,( *.4 '7A*1/
?J8J0 6AA,*) -N QF$
Voluhleers were asked lo lisl lhe reasohs lhey
ihilially chose lo voluhleer wilh NLC. Z,('&, /-
1-..,1/ E'/% /%, -)4,& 2,.,&*/'-. ^?5`_R
4,('&, N-& )-1*)'(7 ^:V`_R *.4 /%, ]3,(/ N-&
* N-&7 -N M-)3./,,&'.2 /%*/ E*( .-.S
>3&,*31&*/'1 ^<?`), were lhe naih reasohs
people were drawh lo lhe charily.
H E*./,4 something local. Im
Q-&/%,&.R *.4 H 1*7, /-
F-.4-. *.4 N-3.4 '/ %*&4,&
/- 2,/ * (,.(, -N 1-773.'/#J
H &,*))# E*./,4 /- 2,/ /- +.-E 7# )-1*) *&,*
*.4 >, * A*&/ -N '/J $%)-,R 5?R &,23)*&
NLCs flexibility was clearly a massive draw
ohe which, lor nahy, was lhe dillerehce
belweeh choosihg lo voluhleer ahd hol.
H/ E*( ,*(#R ('7A),J P%,&,
E,&, .- N-&7(J 6dN,&R 5?R
(,7'S&,23)*&
Hi7 .-/ N&-7 F-.4-. (- H
4-.i/ %*M, N*7')# %,&,J Q-&
4- H +.-E 7# .,'2%>-3&(J H
*1/'M,)# (-32%/ -3/ Q-&/%
London Cares cause I wanted to spend
7-&, /'7, E'/% /%, ,)4,&)#J ;*&*%R 5CR
&,23)*&
!"#$ &'()* 4
Lmma, 24, tra|nee speech therap|st,
no||oway, sem|-regu|ar
Originally Im from Newcastle and it
could have been easy Lo feel
dlsconnecLed from Lhe communlLy when
l moved Lo London as a sLudenL. l found
ouL abouL norLh London Cares by
chance, onllne. volunLeerlng Lhere made
me feel more connecLed, and sLopped
Lhe move Lo London belng a lonely
experlence.
Before my exams and university
deadllnes l was volunLeerlng weekly aL
Lhe fllm evenL aL Caledonlan 8oad. Cne
of my favourlLe experlences was helplng
aL Lhe Lechnology club ln Camden. WlLh a
small amounL of help Lhe older people
galned a loL of en[oymenL and sklll. lL
was a masslve buzz belng able Lo waLch
Lhem use lads, LableLs eLc more easlly.
You really felt like youd helped give
Lhem access Lo someLhlng new.
Although I wasnt able to attend either
Lhe Lechnology club or care home vlslLs
regularly due Lo unlverslLy commlLmenLs,
l was really graLeful Lo Sarah and norLh
London Cares as a whole for belng
flexible. Without that I wouldnt have
been able Lo keep comlng. I a|ways fe|t
supported when vo|unteer|ng and my
conf|dence |n work|ng w|th o|der peop|e
and part|c|pat|ng |n my commun|ty has
def|n|te|y |ncreased.
Ive just moved to Oval, so Im looking
forward Lo geLLlng lnvolved wlLh SouLh
London Cares.



90


The presehce ol older people was ah obvious draw, as lhe survey resulls ihdicale.
There was a gehuihe warnlh lor lhe elderly, which repealedly cane across ih
speakihg lo people.
9# 2&*. %*4 4,7,./'* *.4 (-7, -N /%, N*7')# 4'4 .-/ E*./ /-
(A,.4 /'7, E'/% %,&J H E*./,4 /- (A,.4 /'7, E'/% /%, ,)4,&)#
E%-(, N*7')',( 4-.i/ 7*+, /%, /'7, N-& /%,7R (- /%,# N,,)
(A,1'*) *.4 )-M,4J ;%'&),#R 80R .,M,& M-)3./,,&,4
Olher popular reasohs lor gellihg ihvolved were a desire lo cohhecl wilh
connuhily (33%) ahd a desire lo do sonelhihg which provided a cohlrasl wilh
lhe work ehvirohnehl (29%).
Ohe ol lhe nosl slrikihg lhihgs aboul lhis lacel ol lhe research, oh a qualilalive
level, was the extent to which people got the mission statement of the charity:
lhe cohcepl behihd NLC ahd ih parlicular lhe locus oh >&'42'.2 /%, 2*A
>,/E,,. /E- 1-773.'/',( )'M'.2 '. A*&*)),) was sonelhihg which spoke lo
peoples day-lo-day experiences of life in London. Even those who hadnt
61.8
33.9
49.3
33.1
28.7
11
8.8
4.4
l wanLed Lo form
a beLLer
relaLlonshlp wlLh
Lhe older
generaLlon
l wanLed Lo
volunLeer ln a
way LhaL was
flexlble and non-
bureaucraLlc
l wanLed Lo do
someLhlng local
l wanLed Lo geL
Lo know my
communlLy
beLLer
l wanLed
someLhlng whlch
provlded a
conLrasL wlLh my
worklng
envlronmenL
l [usL came
across lL
browslng onllne/
Lalklng Lo people
and llked Lhe
look of lL
lL was a chance
Lo soclallse and
meeL oLher
young people
CLher
!,"-' 17. 1he appea| of NLC ()
n = 136


91

volunteered understood and identified with the organisations core aim, which
was parl ol lhe reasoh lhey renaihed so ehgaged. Sone discussed cohcepls such
as the shared history of the area where both groups live, or the chance to meet
people you live near but never come across in your day-lo-day lile.
As parl ol lhis lhere was a slrohg apprecialioh lor lhe synbiolic halure ol lhe
NLC renil. ll was clear lhal, lor nahy ol lhe voluhleers, lheir role as voluhleers
went beyond just giving something back, and was very much part of a mutual
exchahge.
F-M, @-3& Q,'2%>-3& *AA,*)( /- 7,J F-.4-. 1*. >, (-&/ -N
/&*.(',./ *.4 '(-)*/'.2R (- ,M,. 'N d3(/ N-& (,)N'(% &,*(-.(
its nice to make a new friend. And when you do something
)'+, /%'( '/ N,,)( M,&# &,E*&4'.2 its all essentially selfish!
G)'h*R 5<R -11*('-.*) M-)3./,,&
I actually think its important that t%, /%'.2( /%*/ (,/ Q-&/%
London Cares apart from other charities are known. Its an
'7A-&/*./ 7,((*2, /%*/ /%, 2,.,&*/'-.( 3.4,&(/*.4 ,*1%
-/%,& for all our benefit. Im happy to make the tea, but
thats not really why Im here. ;*.4#R 8<R (,7'S&,23)*&

?J8J5 H7A*1/ -N './,&*1/'-.(
Charl 41 shows lhe inpacl ol ihleracliohs oh voluhleers across seveh ihdicalors.
The indicators are an amalgamation of the NEF Ways to Wellbeing and the NLC
core ains, bolh ol which lealured ih Seclioh 5. These were lesled oh lhe 60
volunteers who had had most frequent contact with the charity. Again, its worth
holihg lhal lhese resulls are lron a relalively snall sanple, bul lhal lhe hunbers
oller a good relleclioh ol whal voluhleers gel lron parlicipalihg wilh NLC.


92

As cah be seeh, lhey vary ih places, wilh jusl 12% slrohgly agreeihg lhal NLC
helps lhen slay aclive conpared lo ligures well over 60% slrohgly agreeihg
wilh sone ol lhe olher calegories. The overall lehor, however, is overwhelnihgly
posilive, wilh lhe lhree areas ol grealesl inpacl >,'.2 *>')'/# /- 1-./&'>3/, ^VC`
(/&-.2)# *2&,, -& *2&,,_R 1-..,1/,4.,(( /- 1-773.'/# ^VC`_ *.4
*AA&,1'*/'-. -N -)4,& A,-A), ^VB`_J
1.7
3.3
31.7
6.8
1.7
13.3
41.7
43.3
31.7
33.3
42.4
30
41.7
36.7
33.3
11.7
46.7
30.9
68.3
43.3
NLC allows/ allowed me to be more
connected to people and community
"nLC has lncreased my appreclaLlon for
older people"
NLC allows/ allowed me to stay active
NLC allows/ allowed me to keep
learning from others
NLC makes/ made me appreciate the
world more
NLC makes/ made me feel I was
conLrlbuLlng ln a way l oLherwlse
wouldnt have done
NLC has made me feel more
connecLed Lo Lhe boroughs of lsllngLon
and/or Camden?
!,"-' 1+. Impact of NLC |nteract|ons on
vo|unteers ()
SLrongly dlsagree ulsagree Agree SLrongly agree
n = 60


93

H 1*..-/ ,IA)*'. %-E 731% H %*M, ,.d-#,4 M-)3./,,&'.2 N-&
Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,( (- N*&J 9,,/'.2 (- 7*.# './,&,(/'.2 ,)4,&)#
'.4'M'43*)( '.(A'&,( 7, *.4 &,(/-&,( 7# N*'/% '. (-1',/#k H/ '(
M,&# ,*(# /- >, (E,A/ 3A '. F-.4-. *.4 N-&2,/ E%*/ '( *1/3*))#
2-'.2 -. *&-3.4 #-3J L,*/%,&R 5:R &,23)*&
This chines wilh lhe lhree lhihgs people were nosl lrequehlly seekihg lo gel oul
ol voluhleerihg wilh NLC (see Seclioh 6.3.1) llexible ihleracliohs lor lhose who
couldnt otherwise volunteer, connection with local area ahd cohlacl wilh lhe
older geheralioh suggeslihg people are, broadly, achievihg lhe lhihgs lhey sel
oul lo wheh lhey gol ihvolved.
Voluhleers were also asked aboul lhe
levels ol cohlacl lhey had wilh older
people oulside NLC. As lhe adjacehl
lable shows, /*+'.2 QF$ -3/ -N /%,
,]3*/'-.R * ('2.'N'1*./ 7*d-&'/# ^BB`_
have No contact or Not a great deal
of contact with -)4,& A,-A),J

6.3.3 Improving volunteers experience
The voluhleers cane lorward wilh a hunber ol ideas aboul how NLC could
inprove whal il does. These were uhpronpled, ahd have beeh coded
relrospeclively, ihlo calegories. More connuhicalioh aboul wheh evehls were,
alohgside poihls oh logislics which naihly relaled lo line were lhe lwo nosl
connoh lypes ol leedback. P'7, '( 1),*&)# * A*&/'13)*& '((3,R E'/% 7*.# (*#'.2
/%,# E-3)4 )'+, /- (,, 7-&, ,M,.'.2 *.4 E,,+,.4 ,M,./(J
Y,&%*A( /%, -/%,& E*#( -N M-)3./,,&'.2R *('4, N&-7 /%, (-1'*)
,M,./(R 1-3)4 >, A3>)'1'(,4 ()'2%/)# 7-&,J G7')#R 5<R &,23)*&
$-./*1/ E'/% -)4,& A,-A),
^*('4, N&-7 QF$_
P-/*)
6 )-/ -N 1-./*1/ 2
T3'/, * )-/ -N 1-./*1/ 12
Q-/ * 2&,*/ 4,*) -N 1-./*1/
27
6)7-(/ .- 1-./*1/ 19
Q c ?a


94


H (/&322), E'/% /%, ,M,./ /'7,(R *( H N'.'(% E-&+ )*/, ,*1% 4*#J
;- E,,+,.4( *&, /%, -.)# 4*#( E%,. H *7 *M*')*>),R E%'1% '/
7*+,( '/ %*&4,& /- 1-77'/J Q- ,I13(, &,*))#R H +.-Ek f'&(/#R 88R
M-)3./,,&,4 -.1, -& /E'1,
lhlereslihgly, live ol lhe voluhleers asked lor grealer connilnehl sonelhihg
which seens al odds wilh lhe desire lor llexibilily expressed al olher poihls.
P- ,.1-3&*2, *//,.4*.1, */ /%, (-1'*) ,M,./(R #-3 1-3)4 *44 *
2,./), 4,*4)'., (*# :C %-3&( >,N-&, /- 2*32, %-E 7*.#
A,-A), E')) >, 1-7'.2J D*>',..,R 5CR &,23)*&

This view was hol lhal connoh, ahd nosl people were ol lhe opihioh lhal NLC
had gol lhe balahce righl ih lerns ol respohsibililies, by hol askihg lor heavy
connilnehls lron ils voluhleers. However, lhere did seen, al lhe sane line, lo
be ah appetite for skilling up volunteers sonelhihg lhal nosl seened lo
believe was compatible with a continuation of NLCs flexible way of doing things.
4
2
4
3
6
13
13
CLher
More supporL
More chances Lo soclallse wlLh oLher
young people
CreaLer commlLmenL
ulfferenL acLlvlLles
1lme/ loglsLlcs
CommunlcaLlon
!,"-' 1/. Ideas for |mprov|ng NLC
n = 47


93

!"#$ &'()* 5
L|sa, 27, th|rd sector comms, 1ufne|| ark
l was llvlng ln Archway aL Lhe Llme and looklng
for volunLeerlng opporLunlLles. My maln crlLerlon
was LhaL Lhe charlLy be local. l wanLed Lo glve
someLhlng back ln my area. I th|nk North London
Cares used the term young professionals on the
webs|te too, wh|ch appea|ed to me. I was
|mpressed by how energet|c the char|ty was. I
th|nk |t was qu|te new when I started.
l came along for Lwo weeks, buL from LhaL polnL
on everyLhlng l saw clashed wlLh my schedule. l
worked very long hours for a blg corporaLlon aL
Lhe Llme, and Lhere was no way l could flL ln
enough volunLeerlng Lo make lL worLhwhlle. So
Lhe problem was parLly Lhe Llme commlLmenL.
8uL also, lf Im honest, I didnt really feel like I
knew whaL Lo do aL Lhe fllm nlghLs. lL was sorL of
unplanned. ?ou [usL came ln and saL down, and l
know LhaL probably sulLs some people buL Im a
bit introverted so I wasnt sure what to do. Im a
more lnLroverLed sorL of person.
I think if anything Id llke Lhe L?n scheme more. l
mlghL prefer Lo have a one-on-one commlLmenL
wlLh someone, where l felL llke l was maklng a real
dlfference and goL Lhe chance Lo geL Lo know
Lhem properly.
l Lhlnk ln some ways maybe lL felL Loo easy noL Lo
aLLend Lhe evenLs. If Id made a commitmenL Lo
someone ln parLlcular Id have Lrled harder Lo
keep lL golng, buL wlLh Lhe Soclal Clubs lL felL a blL
like no one would mind if I didnt come.

H 7'2%/ (/*&/ &3..'.2 /%, @*&. Z*.1, ,M,&# ('I E,,+( *1/3*))#J
But thats manageable cause its only every six weeks. The
'7A-&/*./ /%'.2 E-3)4 >, /%*/ /%,&, E*( .- A&,((3&,R *.4
that, if you said you couldnt do it, theyd be fine about it.
$%)-,R 5?R &,23)*&
Furlher lo lhis, sone ol lhe
elenehls which had beeh less
pronihehl ih lhe quesliohhaire
drew grealer connehl ih lhe locus
groups ahd ihlerviews. A lol ol
discussioh cehlred oh how social
evehls could be nore ehgagihg ahd
welconihg lor voluhleers.
H /%'.+ QF$ (%-3)4
do more to say Hi,
youre a new
volunteer! and ease
you in. Im quite confident but I
/3&.,4 3A *.4 N,)/ * >'/ .,&M-3(J H
didnt know who to talk to. 6dN,&R
5?R (,7'S&,23)*&
Parlicipahls lalked aboul ways lhal
youhg people could be ihlroduced
lo lhe groups beller, how lhey
could be giveh nore direclioh ahd
supporl ih ihlegralihg, ahd whelher
nore socialisihg belweeh voluhleers
nighl nake voluhleerihg less
dauhlihg lor ihdividuals. This led


96

ihlo a broader cohversalioh aboul whal, precisely, lhe role ol voluhleers is lo
lacililale groups via praclical supporl, or lo gel nore ihvolved socially.
You sometimes wonder, Am I being helpful or am I just eating
cake? Its hard to know whether they want you to do practical
(/3NN -& d3(/ /- %*.2 -3/J ;*.4#R 8<R (,7'S&,23)*&
While lhese quesliohs were, ih large parl, aboul how lhe voluhleer experiehce
could be beller, lhe uhderlyihg lhene was aboul how ihleracliohs belweeh old
ahd youhg could be nade lo happeh ih a way lhal was orgahic a queslioh
which addressed the essence of the social events component of NLCs work.
The overall lhihgs lo cone oul ol lhis parl ol lhe sessioh were lhe heed lor.
9-&, (-1'*) *1/'M'/',( E'/% -/%,& M-)3./,,&( *N/,&E*&4(R (- /%*/ A,-A),
N,,) /%,# %*M, N&',.4( /- /3&. /- N-& (3AA-&/b
6 1),*&,& (,.(, -N %-E M-)3./,,&( 1-3)4 >, 7-(/ 3(,N3) 'J,J 7*+'.2
/,* -& ('//'.2 *.4 1%*//'.2b
;)'2%/)# 7-&, (3AA-&/ N&-7 QF$ (/*NN N-& N'&(/ /'7, M-)3./,,&(R (- /%*/
the sessions are less daunting and they have a clearer role to start
E'/%J









97

The idea ol a shorl ihlroduclioh lo
lhe older heighbours ih Social Clubs
lor lirsl line voluhleers (carried oul
by a nenber ol NLC slall) was seeh
as a good idea. This was viewed as a
way ol providihg cohlexl lor
subsequehl ihleracliohs, ahd ol
clarilyihg lor lhe older heighbours
who lhe youhg people are ahd lhe
lacl lhal lhey are voluhleers.
HN F*3&* -& 6),I './&-431,4 3( /%*/ E-3)4 >, * .'1, E*# /- 4-
'/J H/ E-3)4 >, * &,1-2.'/'-. -N /%, N*1/ A,-A), M-)3./,,& N-&
4'NN,&,./ &,*(-.( *.4 E*./ /- 2,/ 4'NN,&,./ /%'.2( -3/ -N '/J
$%)-,R 5?R &,23)*&
P- 1*A'/*)'(, -. .,E M-)3./,,&(R '/ 7'2%/ >, *. '4,* /- %*M, * <
7'.3/, 4,>&',N *N/,& /%, -)4,& N-)+ %*M, ),N/R /- A'1+ 3A -. *.#
'((3,(R ]3,(/'-.( *.4 '4,*(J H.2&'4R 8:R &,23)*&
lh lihe wilh sone ol lhis, lhere was also a leelihg anohg
a lew ol lhe voluhleers lhal NLC evehls could be beller
al ehcouragihg cullural exchahge. This was hol a pressihg
issue, bul il was sonelhihg voiced by a nihorily ol bolh
youhger ah older people, sone ol whon lell lhal
dillerehl sorls ol discussiohs nighl ihcrease ihleraclioh.

9*#>, A&-M'4, 7-&, './,&*1/'M, (,(('-.(J H %*M, .-/ >,,. /-
/%, M'4,- .'2%/( >3/ H (3AA-(, H %*M, >,,. * >'/ A3/ -NN /%,
'4,* *( H E*./ /- 1%*/ /- /%, -)4 A,-A), *.4 1*.i/ (,, %-E /%*/
%*AA,.( 'N /%,&, '( * M'4,-J $*&*R 88R (,7'S&,23)*&


98

?J8J: [,*1%'.2 -3/ /- * >&-*4,& >*(, -N M-)3./,,&(
As was seeh earlier (ih Seclioh 6.1) lhe NLC voluhleer base, while conprisihg ol a
denographic which does hol lypically voluhleer, is slill lackihg ih lerns ol sone
ol lhe people lron lhe nosl conpelilive ahd resulls-driveh seclors. ll is also very
heavily weighled lowards woneh, who nake up hearly lour lillhs ol supporlers.
The locus groups were asked
why lhey lhoughl lhis was
ahd how NLC cah reach oul
lo a broader base ol
supporlers.
Ahswers were very nuch lo
do wilh lhe halure ol
voluhleerihg, ahd addressed
sone ol lhe quesliohs
already looked al, aboul
Social Clubs ahd lhe dillerehl
lypes ol voluhleerihg people
are drawh lowards. The
geheral cohsehsus was lhal ah addiliohal locus oh nore lask-oriehlaled lypes ol
voluhleerihg wilh nore lixed line-lranes ahd goals nighl be a way lo reach
oul ahd ihvolve dillerehl lypes ol persohalily.
H /%'.+ 7-&, /*(+S-&',./*/,4 /%'.2( 7'2%/ >, * 2--4 E*# /-
get guys involved. As in We need twenty people to come and
4'2 3A *. *))-/ment. That would feel very finite, whereas with
the clubs youre turning up and you dont really know what
youre there to do. ;*.4#R 8<R (,7'S&,23)*&



99

I do Mens Cooking and as a man its partly about how you
describe what youre doing. If I was to say /- 7# 7*/,( I go
along and do some community work with old people it might,
to a bloke, sound a bit holierS/%*.Sthou. So I think for men it
.,,4( /- >, 7*&+,/,4 *( 7-&, /*(+S(A,1'N'1J 6),IR 80R (,7'S&,23)*&
Civeh lhe geheral absehce ol
voluhlary supporl lor Wihler
Wellbeihg (see Seclioh 6.2.2), il
does seen lhal lhere nighl be
ways ol usihg sone ol lhe door-
khockihg conpohehls ol NLCs
work lo reach oul lo a dillerehl
lype ol voluhleer. Projecls like
Winter Wellbeing are more quantitative in nature, wilh clearer goals ahd shorler
(allhough ho less ihlehse) enoliohal connilnehls, ahd nighl work well as a way
ol broadehihg lhe voluhleer base.


100

?J: Z'NN,&,./ E*#( -N %,)A'.2
?J:J0 D3.4&*'('.2 *.4 4-.*/'.2
As lhe helwork ol Cares charilies polehlially grows, ils slaled ain is lo diversily
ils luhdihg base, ralher lhah relyihg oh local goverhnehl, ihdepehdehl dohors,
ahd lhird seclor parlhers alohe lor ihcone. Ohe revehue slrean would be lhe
voluhleers ahd supporler base. This is a group which, as has already seeh, is
conparalively allluehl bul is also line-poor, so nighl be willihg lo look al olher
ways ol helpihg.
As lhe lable shows, /%, 7*d-&'/# E,&,
-A,. /- /%, '4,* -N N3.4&*'('.2 -&
4-.*/'.2 ^?B` *.4 ??` &,(A,1/'M,)#_J
People did hol seen lo dislihguish
belweeh lhe lwo aclivilies. The nosl
popular prospeclive neahs ol luhdraisihg
was lhrough spohsored sporl ahd
ruhhihg evehls. Meahwhile, nosl ol lhe
people who said lhey would be able lo dohale were eilher uhwillihg lo speculale
oh how nuch, or said lhey would ralher dohale via a ohe oll paynehl.
The 35 who were uhwillihg lo dohale were roughly splil lhree ways ih lerns ol
lheir reasohihg, wilh lhirleeh sayihg lhey could hol allord lo dohale, eleveh
sayihg lhey would preler lo dohale lo olher lypes ol charily, ahd leh sayihg lhey
saw line as lhe way lhey dohaled lo charilies like NLC.
H 2'M, /'7, /- 1%*&'/',( E-&+'.2 )-1*))#R 7-.,# /- 1%*&'/',(
E-&+'.2 *>&-*4J ;*7R :8R (,7'S&,23)*&

lhvesligalihg lhis nore lhoroughly, ih lhe locus groups, revealed lhal lhere were
sone quile slrohg leelihgs ih relalioh lo lhe issue. ll would be ah exaggeralioh
to describe the concept of NLC asking for donations as a betrayal in the
=A,..,(( /- %,)A'.2
N'.*.1'*))#
P-/*)
X'))'.2 /- N3.4&*'(,
@,( 70
Q- 34
X'))'.2 /- 4-.*/,
@,(
68
Q- 35
Q c 0a:


101

groups eyes, but there was certainly a feeling that such a move would be at
odds wilh whal lhe orgahisalioh slood lor.
Youre trying to give your time, and that should be more
'7A-&/*./J H N,,) )'+, 7-(/ 1%*&'/',( *&, 7-&, './,&,(/,4 '. /%,
N3.4&*'(,& /%*. /%, *1/3*) M-)3./,,&J 67#R &,23)*&
Cynicism about larger faceless charities was surprisingly prevalent, and there
was a leelihg anohg sone lhal hol askihg lor nohey was whal nade NLC
dillerehl. Id happily make donations but I think the fact I havent been asked is
aclually ohe ol lhe lhings Ive liked most about NLC, as ohe persoh pul il.
Its part of the NLC brand that you donate time and youre
7,,/'.2 A,-A), '. &,*) )'N,J P%*/R /- 7,R '( * A-E,&N3) 7,((*2,J
Theres quite a lot of donation fatigue at the moment, and by
2,//'.2 './- 4onations youre entering into a world which is,
A,&%*A(R * >'/ 731+#J ;*.4#R 8<R (,7'S&,23)*&

H N,,) )'+, '/ (%-3)4 >, /%, &-), -N A,-A), )'+, 6),I /- *AA&-*1%
huge organisations that can donate, because its /%,'&
&,(A-.('>')'/# /- 2'M, >*1+ 7-&, *.4 '/s hard for us to help in
/%, (*7, E*#J 6dN,&R 5?R (,7'S&,23)*&
Thal said, nosl were ih agreenehl lhal NLC should be able lo accepl dohaliohs,
as lohg as il was dohe ih a low key ahd hoh-pushy way, ahd did hol becone a
cehlral parl ol how lhe charily operaled or laid oul ils websile.
Some suggested ideas like donating in kind. More tangible things like Buy an old
person a roast and eat it with them were popular. Olhers said lhey would preler
lo buy cakes or ihgrediehls lor cookery classes lhah lo nake ollicial dohaliohs.




102

?J:J5 $-./&'>3/'.2 (+'))(
NLC voluhleers were happy lo dohale skills, ahd eager lo do so ih nahy cases.
They are a skilled group, which is rellecled ih lhe diverse ahd olleh highly
lechhical ways ih which lhey have ollered lo help. Slighlly nore lechhical skills
like accouhlahcy ahd law are less prevalehl, relleclihg lhe lypes ol ihduslries NLC
voluhleers lehd lo work ih.











?J:J8 ;A&,*4'.2 *E*&,.,((
The voluhleers ih lhe locus groups were happy lo help wheh il cane lo lhe issue
ol spreadihg awarehess.
PE- E,,+( >,N-&, *. ,M,./ F*3&* 1-3)4 (,.4 *. ,7*') (*#'.2
1-3)4 #-3 D*1,>--+ /%'(R PE,,/ /%'(J g3(/ /,)) 3( E%*/ /- 4-k
;*.4#R 8<R (,7'S&,23)*&

36 36
22
21 21
19
10
3 3
4 4 4
3
0
3
10
13
20
23
30
33
40
!,"-' 10. Sk|||s peop|e are ab|e to donate
n = 137


103

They were resislahl lo doihg lornal recruilnehl lhenselves, bul had a rahge ol
ideas aboul how NLC could nobilise ils supporlers ahd recruil nore widely usihg
social media. Ideas like a recruitment toolkit were broached, as ways of
capilalisihg oh lhe slrohg social nedia plallorn NLC is slarlihg lron.
QF$ '( 2&,*/ -. (-1'*) 7,4'*R >3/ 1-3)4 4- 7-&, /- %,)A
M-)3./,,&( A&-7-/, '/J F'+, * 23'4*.1, 4-137,./ /%*/ (*#(
Heres some suggestions to recruit friends, put this on
Facebook etc. $%)-,R 5?R &,23)*&



104

B $-.1)3('-.
The lihdihgs ol lhis research are conpellihg. They denohslrale lhal Norlh
Lohdoh Cares is appealihg lo a group ol older heighbours who are
disproporliohalely isolaled, disallecled wilh lhe noderh world, ahd likely lo live
alohe ah eslablished cohorl ol older people, who were ih nahy cases borh ih
horlh Lohdoh bul who how leel ihsecure ahd lell behihd by lhe pace ol chahge.
The lihdihgs also show lhal lhe youhg people NLC is lorgihg cohhecliohs wilh
are naihly allluehl privale seclor workers ih lhe secohd hall ol lheir lwehlies,
who nove arouhd a lol ahd previously had relalively low civic ehgagenehl or
cohheclioh wilh lhe elderly. The laller group, ih parlicular, prolouhdly
uhderslahds lhe NLC visioh, ahd is a vilal resource lo nake use ol ih achievihg il.
The inpacl ol NLC ihleracliohs oh lhe lives ol bolh groups is slrikihg. Three
quarlers ol older people have a nore posilive view ol youhg people as a resull
ol ihleracliohs, ahd hihe oul ol leh youhg people have a grealer apprecialioh ol
older people suggeslihg lhe charily is playihg a sighilicahl role ih bridgihg lhe
geheraliohal gap. Moreover, 73% ol older people say lhey leel less isolaled as a
result of NLCs inleracliohs.
Sinilarly, a sighilicahl proporlioh ol older heighbours reporl beihg nore able lo
experiehce dillerehl lhihgs as a resull ol NLC, ahd lhe vasl najorily ol youhger
people say lhey leel nore able lo cohlribule suggeslihg lhal lhe charily is
inprovihg lhe overall social agehcy ol bolh groups. The shared proposition
uhderlyihg lhe NLC cohcepl is, lherelore, beihg achieved.
Al presehl nosl NLC ihleracliohs lake place lhrough Social Clubs, ahd lhe
najorily ol older people nake cohlacl wilh NLC lhrough helworks buill arouhd
the areas various community centres ahd olher such resources. This neahs lhal
many of NLCs older heighbours are nobile ehough lo gel oul ol lhe house ahd
sociable ehough lo hear aboul evehls lhrough word-ol-noulh. eyohd lhis
cohorl lhere is sighilicahl group ol nore fleeting heighbours (usually idehlilied
lhrough Wihler Wellbeihg, LYN or nore sporadic social evehls), lhal are al leasl


103

as ih heed ol help, bul who are less opeh lo chahge, less nobile, ahd less likely
lo cone lo social evehls.
Civeh lhe clear ahd uhequivocally posilive inpacl ol NLC ihleracliohs oh lhe
people lhal have experiehced lhen, lhe hexl challehge lor lhe charily heeds lo
be lo idehlily ahd recruil dillerehl older heighbour ahd voluhleer groups. This
will ehable lhe behelils ol NLC ihleracliohs lo be experiehced by lhose who are
lhe very hardesl lo reach ahd leasl likely lo olherwise be ihvolved.
lh praclical lerns lhis nay neah lweakihg lhe Socials Clubs ih places so lhal lhey
are nore accessible, il could also neah expahdihg lhe LYN ahd Wihler Wellbeihg
conpohehls luhdihg pernillihg so lhal lhe orgahisalioh is cohsislehlly
reachihg oul lo ahd supporlihg lhose ihdividuals who are less able or willihg lo
leave lhe house ahd go lo connuhily cehlres, or less likely lo allehd social
evehls.
The lihdihgs ol lhis reporl lherelore represehl ah ehdorsenehl ol lhe
relaliohships ahd ihleracliohs brokered by NLC so lar, ahd a very slrohg
corroboration of the central concept underlying the charitys work. They provide
delihilive evidehce lhal lhe problens ih lerns ol social cohesioh broughl aboul
by gehlrilicalioh, globalisalioh, digilisalioh ahd nigralioh cah be lurhed ihlo
assels lhrough geheralihg dialogue ahd ehablihg cohlacl.
The naih challehge NLC how laces is how lhal cohcepl cah be expahded wilhih
Candeh ahd lslihgloh, ahd lheh exporled ahd replicaled ih olher parls ol Lohdoh
ahd lhe resl ol lhe couhlry ahd how lhis cah be dohe ih such a way lhal lhose
nosl ih heed ol social ihleracliohs ahd prevehlalive ahd helworked aclivilies
experiehce lhen, so lhal lhe lull polehlial is achieved.




106

C 6AA,.4'1,(
6AA,.4'I 6 =)4,& .,'2%>-3&(W *44'/'-.*) 1%*&/(
6J0 NLCs impact on those most M3).,&*>), '. ,*1% *&,*
The charl below lakes lhose people who, ih each ol lhe six core areas, reporled
havihg had hegalive leelihgs sihce reachihg old age. For ihslahce, lhose who
identified themselves as the start of the survey as Very or Fairly Isolated, or
who were Not especially or Not at all positive towards the modern world. It
shows lhe inpacl NLC has had oh lhese people. The proporlioh upoh whon NLC
has had a Significant positive impact is marked in red, the proportion with a
Slight positive impact is marked in orange, and the proportion who reported No
difference is marked in green.

Allhough sanple sizes are snall, lhe lihdihgs are heverlheless ihlereslihg.
Relations with young people is the biggest success story. Around 60% of
/%-(, -)4,& .,'2%>-3&( E%- %*4 A&,M'-3()# N,)/ (3(A'1'-3( -N #-3.2 A,-A),
0
10
20
30
40
30
60
70
Lonellness and lsolaLlon
(n=43)
ConnecLedness Lo
communlLy (n=30)
8elaLlons wlLh young
people (n=31)
Self-confldence and
securlLy (n=28)
ALLlLude Lo modern
world (n=41)
AblllLy Lo have a range
of experlences (n=39)
!,"-' 11. NLC's |mpact among those
peop|e most vu|nerab|e |n each area ()
SlgnlflcanL
SllghL
no dlfference/ Pard Lo say
lease noLe LhaL
Lhe numbers here
are very low


107

&,A-&/,4 ('2.'N'1*./)# >,//,& &,)*/'-.( E'/% /%, #-3.2,& 2,.,&*/'-. *( * &,(3)/
-N QF$J Connectedness to community and Attitudes to the modern world were
lhe areas where people who had previously slruggled were leasl likely lo reporl a
dillerehce as a resull ol NLC.

A.2 NLCs impact: Social $)3>( K( F@Q
This charl conpares lhe experiehces ol older heighbours who allehded Social
Clubs wilh lhe experiehces ol lhose who were parl ol lhe LYN schene. The LYN
sanple is snall, so il is dillicull lo draw cohclusiohs allhough, as nighl be
expected, attending social events has a bigger impact on Range of experiences
lhah LYN, which is largely ih-hone based.

0
20
40
60
80
100
Lonellness and
lsolaLlon
ConnecLedness Lo
communlLy
8elaLlons wlLh
young people
Self-confldence
and securlLy
ALLlLude Lo modern
world
AblllLy Lo have a
range of
experlences
!,"-' 12. NLC's |mpact: Soc|a| C|ubs Vs LN ()
Soclal evenLs (n=73)
L?n (n=20)


108

6AA,.4'I " U,-2&*A%'1*) 4'(/&'>3/'-. -N 4,A&'M*/'-.
The lwo naps below show lhe dislribulioh ol deprivalioh ih Candeh
23
ahd lslihgloh
24
wilh high deprivalioh narked ih dark
greeh ahd dark red respeclively.


23
flle:///C:/users/SA8L/uownloads/PealLhroflle2011Camden00AC.pdf (p.2)
24
hLLp://www.lsllngLon.gov.uk/publlcrecords/llbrary/CommunlLy-and-llvlng/lnformaLlon/lacLsheeLs/2011-2012/(2012-03-03)-SLaLe-of-LquallLles-2011.pdf (p.20)


109

y conparihg lhe naps
wilh lhe dislribulioh ol
NLCs older heighbours
(below) lhe correlalioh
belweeh deprivalioh ahd
the distribution of NLCs
user base is evidehl.
This is parlicularly lhe case
ih lslihgloh, which is nore
deprived lhah Candeh
ahd is hone lo higher
hunbers ol NLC
heighbours.




110

6AA,.4'I $ @-3.2,& .,'2%>-3&( *44'/'-.*) 1%*&/(
$J0 G/%.'1'/#
As Chart 47 shows, NLCs volunteers tend to be White British, with the second highest
proporlioh conihg lron elsewhere ih Lurope.

$J5 [,23)*&'/# -N M-)3./,,&'.2
Charl 27 shows lhal lhose wilh a hislory ol voluhleerihg belore NLC are nore likely lo lollow
lhrough ahd becone regular NLC voluhleers.

79
16
7
6 6
3
4
13
WhlLe
8rlLlsh
WhlLe
Luropean
WhlLe lrlsh Aslan 8rlLlsh Aslan CLher Afrlcan/
Carlbbean
Chlnese CLher
!,"-' 13. NLC's younger peop|e by ethn|c|ty
n = 137
13
22.2
13
22.2
6.3
13.6
67.4
40
revlously volunLeered regularly, falrly ofLen, or
from Llme Lo Llme (n=46)
revlously volunLeered very occaslonally or never
(n=43)
!,"-' 14. kegu|ar|ty of NLC vo|unteer|ng - those w|th a
h|story of vo|unteer|ng Vs those w|thout ()
Cnle ever once once for nLC
Cnce or Lwlce a year for nLC
Cnce every Lhree monLhs for nLC
Cnce a monLh for nLC


111




112




113




114




113




116




117




118




119




120

#


121




122




123




124




123




126




127




128

6AA,.4'I G $%&'( $)*&+, ^&,(,*&1%,& *.4 &,A-&/ *3/%-&_W (-1'*) &,(,*&1% >*1+2&-3.4
Q-&/% F-.4-. $*&,(
X'./,& X,))>,'.2 A&-d,1/ '. $*74,. *.4 H()'.2/-.R 5a05S5a0: Door khockihg
projecl lo cohlacl a lolal ol 4,000 older heighbours durihg lhe coldesl lhree nohlhs ol
lhe year, idehlilyihg lhose slrugglihg wilh lhe cold ahd reporlihg back lo Candeh ahd
lslihgloh Couhcils.

Climate Resilience Islington South Project (CRISP), with Islington Council and
ZGD[6R 5a08 Projecl lo nap lhe resiliehce lo hol wealher ol older people ih cehlral
Londons urban heat island (quantitative research with large sample, plus qualitative
work).
P%, $*7A*'2. $-7A*.#
$%')4 ->,('/# A&-d,1/R 9,4E*#R 5a0: Lxlehsive evalualioh ol heallhy weighl services
lor childreh ih Medway, cohduclihg locus groups/ deplh ihlerviews wilh slakeholders,
parehls ahd childreh lo uhderslahd why hard-lo-reach groups were hol usihg lhen.

6)1-%-) *E*&,.,(( A&-d,1/R L*7A(%'&,R 5a0: Quahlilalive projecl lo develop ihsighl
ihlo habils ol heavy drihkers ih nore allluehl social groups.

Camdens Big Healthy Weight Conversation, 2013 Lvehl-based cohsullalioh wilh
residehls lo brihg dowh rales ol obesily anohg older residehls, as well as desighihg lhe
evehl lhe projecl ihvolved qualilalive research wilh owhers chickeh shops ahd olher lasl
lood oullels.

H./,2&*/'-. -N /%, U%3&+* 1-773.'/# '. L*7A(%'&,R 5a08 produclioh ol lihal reporl
explorihg local lehsiohs.



129

Q,') ;/,E*&/ 6((-1'*/,(
$-.(3)/*/'-. -. /%, =7>34(7*. Associations annual conference, 2014 Qualilalive
ahd quahlilalive research wilh slakeholders lo re-lrane lhe cohlehl ahd purpose ol lhe
evehl.

Developnehl ol lool lo nap ohgoihg research across lhe public allairs seclor, 2010.
=/%,& &,(,*&1% 1)',./(
=.)'., A&-d,1/ 7*AA'.2 A3>)'1 ,IA)*.*/'-.( N-& /%, F-.4-. ['-/(R 5a00 Ohlihe
elhhography projecl explorihg public percepliohs usihg social nedia, ullinalely
presented to Darra Singhs Riots Panel.

Z,M,)-A7,./ -N 4,/,&&,.1, 1-773.'1*/'-.( *( A*&/ -N /%, =)ympic Games security
),2*1#R 5a05 sihg quahlilalive ahd qualilalive nelhods lo lesl ahd develop securily
nalerials wilh lhe public, alohgside lhe crealioh ol a loolkil lor Securily Mahagers.

;-1'*) 7,4'* 7-.'/-&'.2 -N 4-7,(/'1 ,I/&,7'(7R 5a05 Ohlihe elhhography projecl
nappihg lhe social nedia oulpul ol groups such as lhe LDL lo lorecasl doneslic
lehsiohs.









130




















This inpacl evalualioh is lhe properly ol NL Cares Liniled (khowh publicly as "Norlh Lohdoh Cares"), a conpahy regislered ih
Lhglahd ahd Wales (hunber 07737818), ahd regislered charily hunber 115313. The cohlehl is licehsed uhder Crealive
Connohs. relerehces lo lhe research cohlaihed hereih, ohlihe or ih prihl, nusl cohlaih appropriale allribulioh ahd lihks lo
"Norlh Lohdoh Cares".