Targeted Micro Funding Tackles Loneliness for Older LGBT+ People

Time to Shine funding supported 6 projects to address loneliness and social isolation in older LGBT+ people in Leeds. 

 

What is Time to Shine? 

Time to Shine, managed by Leeds Older People’s Forum, was their flagship programme for tackling loneliness and isolation in Leeds. It began in April 2015 and ran until March 2022, and was funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. The programme included exciting campaigns, events and initiatives made up of 131 projects, and used a ‘test and learn’ approach. 

Leeds Community Foundation worked with Leeds Older People’s Forum to deliver a 12-round Time to Shine Small Grants programme, which invested over £600,000 in Leeds-based Community Organisations. We also ran two smaller programmes, Time to Shine Seasonal Loneliness and Time to Shine Connecting Older LGBT+ People Micro Funds. 

 

What is the Time to Shine Connecting Older LGBT+ People Micro Funds? 

Research shows that older LGBT+ people are especially vulnerable to loneliness as they are more likely to be single, live alone, and have lower levels of contact with relatives. They are also less likely to engage with local services (Care Connect). 

A small pot of funding was allocated for projects working specifically with older LGBT+ people. Leeds Community Foundation worked with Leeds Older People’s Forum to distribute this funding to support local projects. 6 grants were made, with £12,050 invested in total. Activity took place over a period of 6 months. 

 

What did the Micro Funds achieve? 

More than 110 people benefited from the projects funded by these grants. A quarter of people reported improved social networks as a result, and a fifth said their mental health had improved. 

The funded activities included art sessions, a mini retreat day, creative animation workshops and a mindfulness course. One organisation, Friends of Dorothy, used their grant to run regular meetups, as well as to invest in their digital presence. 

Bringing their members together to connect regularly face-to-face was a success for Friends of Dorothy. Following the pandemic, it was important for people to make new connections and rekindle old ones. In total, 80 people attended the meetups, with a number of new members joining the group. A new activities committee was set up to continue the group, and members came up with a list of activities they’d like to try. 

Friends of Dorothy said “By providing more opportunities to meet up we have made it easier for connections, old and new, to be made. More people have attended and there has been an increase in membership. For example, we have three new elderly members who have recently lost long term partners and who have found themselves, not only bereft emotionally, but also lacking contacts and friendship.” 

The organisation also enlisted specialist support to refresh their website and upgrade their social media platforms. Additionally, to better reflect the diversity they seek for their group, they began using the name ‘Out Together’. As a result of this development work, their online visibility and engagement has increased. 

 

What did we learn? 

During the 6 months of the grants, Leeds Community Foundation held 3 learning events. The events brought together grant holders to discuss their projects, key challenges and the impact the funding had. 

One challenge for grant holders was recruiting participants for their activities. One found that low-commitment, drop-in meet-ups were particularly useful as a gateway activity for new members. These provided a comfortable, accessible space to join a social network for the first time. 

Others shared that activities that occupied the hands or body were effective in encouraging people to open up. When engaged in an activity, people were able to speak about mental health and connect to one another. Small group sizes were also considered to work well, as they provided a safe, quiet and reflective space. 

 

What next? 

The Time to Shine programme has come to an end, but the learning gained from it will continue to have an impact for a long time to come. Leeds Community Foundation, Leeds Older People’s Forum and all of the partners have gained valuable insights from this programme. We will continue to refer to them as we keep supporting Community Organisations to make a difference for people in Leeds. 

 

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