Something for everyone: Part I Crafting Connections
When given the opportunity to interact, individuals of different generations bond over both their differences, as well as their similarities. Our projects provide that opportunity - allowing older individuals to reveal their many strengths, and in doing so, a mutual respect develops which challenges ageism.
Crafting Connections
Crafting Connections is the arts & crafts exchange pairing children with care home residents to swap artwork and answers to questionnaires every month, building long-lasting friendships.
By signing up to Crafting Connections, children help to; reduce loneliness and social isolation for residents living in care homes, give a feel-good factor of contributing to a child’s development and provide an enriching, engaging activity with a purpose.
"The residents enjoy receiving the wonderful work the children do for them and building up a friendship. When the residents look at the pictures, and photos, it makes their day. When they make pictures for their younger Crafting Connection friends it gives them a purpose. It is an amazing project that has become a big part of our residents’ life."
- Care home Activities Coordinator
Building a lasting relationship through Crafting Connections, care home residents help children to place value on older generations, develop their artistic, creative and language skills, teach kindness, empathy and compassion and provides goodies in the post every month (kids love post!)
"Initially I just wanted to help someone else...but now I realise the benefits for my child as well...
he really does want to make Mary happy with his creations"
- Parent/Guardian Participant of Crafting Connections
Older people bring so much to the table
Older people can bring wisdom and wonder to a young person’s life - they have tales to tell and stories to share. Crafting Connections provides an outlet to help older people in care homes tell their stories to a younger generation.
"It's really important for children to get to know other people from other walks of life and generations. The pandemic has meant that my children didn't get to interact with as many different people so this is a great way to rectify that"
- Parent/Guardian Participant of Crafting Connections
The feel-good factor of contributing to a child’s development
Purpose. It’s important. As we grow older, the hustle and bustle of life fades away. Children move out - there are fewer clothes to wash, meals to cook, cleaning to do. Retirement comes - days become longer, social circles become smaller.
Our work shows that older people become revitalised with purpose when involved in a child’s life.
Read the story of one such friendship (and watch the video of when they first met on Zoom!)
“I really love being part of Crafting Connections and it has been amazing getting to know Saskia through the questionnaire and pictures.
Now that I have met her properly through Zoom it means so much to me”
– Eric, Participant of Crafting Connections
Sign up to Crafting Connections
Do you want to help reduce loneliness and social isolation for residents living in care homes?
How about giving a feel-good factor of contributing to a child’s development?
Do you want to provide an enriching, engaging activity with a purpose?
Do you want your child to place value on older generations?
Would you like to develop your little one’s artistic, creative and language skills?
Do you want to teach kindness, empathy and compassion?
If yes then visit craftingconnections.org.uk for more information and to sign up.
We’d love to have you onboard!