Magic Me: an arts charity bringing generations together to reduce social isolation and loneliness
For 30 years Magic Me's exciting, pioneering intergenerational arts projects have been giving young and older people opportunities to meet, create and spend time together, combatting ageism and loneliness. Week by week young people and older adults meet in schools, care homes, older peoples centres and after-school clubs, working on a shared arts activity eg drama, music and photography. One of our participants said "There are lots of places for older people like me to go and have coffee and chat. I want more than that. What I love about Magic Me is that I come home with new ideas, with questions, and things to think about when I'm back home alone, things that keep me going for another week." Talking on the phone will be vital, but we want to offer more than that. We're exploring how we can create that inspiration, those questions and ideas from a distance - they are even more vital if that week is going to turn into a month, or months.
Why the community needs usSocial distancing has meant that with our current projects, we have not been able to carry on our activities as normal. For our vulnerable older participants, these unprecedented times are most hard hitting. Many of them already experience loneliness and social isolation and further social distancing will affect their health and wellbeing.
Our impact on the communityMagic Me is working with our current 24 partner care homes, older people venues and their residents to find creative ways to continue friendships between younger and older people. Magic Me is committed to ensuring that these important intergenerational relationships continue to grow and develop creatively. Together as a community we will come out the other end of this situation, stronger and well connected.
