New city, new communities, new home

Please note: this post is 89 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

After I made the decision to move to London this year, I was determined to find a job that would allow me to learn more about the city, the kind of stuff stuff that isn’t in Time Out, and develop a sense of community. If you had asked me six months ago what I would like to do, coordinating a friendship programme at a charity tackling loneliness would have been on top of the list.

Community is something that is particularly important to me. Even though I’ve been part of large institutions (school,university) for the greater part of my life, I’ve often struggled to find a sense of purpose or belonging, and as a result felt lonely (something that was exacerbated by the occasional break up or friend leaving town). That all changed when, as a student, I decided to volunteer at a local care home. I made new friends: Joan, Barbara and Margaret. We had great times singing together, going on trips and just generally chatting. Soon it didn’t feel like volunteering anymore; it felt like I was a part of a community.

After those initial few months at the care home, I went on to set up IT classes and friendship programmes for older neighbours in Oxford with the help of a friend, as well as lobbying the city council to adopt legislation recommended by the Campaign to End Loneliness. The whole experience was amazingly transformative for me, and I have since spent the past few years at Oxford Hub supporting other students to establish their own community projects and social enterprises.

The more older neighbours I have met, however, the more it has dawned on me that I am in a privileged position: I am mobile; I have my health; I have family and friends that live nearby. That’s why I believe the Love Your Neighbour programme is so important, since some older neighbours lack some or even all of these things, and can find it hard participate in activities like North London Cares’ Social Clubs. By facilitating one-to-one friendships, younger and older neighbours can overcome these barriers and still have the opportunity to share experiences.

So much of the today’s news is sadly contextualised by divisions in society. I’m really excited to be working for an organisation that aims to heal some of these divisions and create more cohesive communities in north London. I’ve already met some neighbours in my first week and the team have been very welcoming. It’s only taken a few days for me to feel at home.

I’m still good friends with some of the older neighbours I’ve met over the past few years. They may not know it, but they have had a huge impact on me and my values. I can’t wait to support others build similar bonds and connections in their communities in Camden and Islington.