About MYsocial

What is MYsocial all about?

We launched MYsocial as a response to updating a very traditional activity centre that AUKL had been running for many years. The initial driver was reducing social isolation. The initial focus was putting on a calendar of events. The driver remains, but MYsocial is more than that. The calendar is no longer at the centre of MYsocial. Instead, the beating heart of MYsocial is Connections.

MYsocial members make connections with themselves, others and the broader community in a range of ways.

During the pandemic, events have moved online and onphone, and whilst they are here to stay, we look forward to when we can add “in real life” events of all descriptions to our members’ calendar

There are events where members can increase their levels of physical activity: things like tai chi, chair exercise, and walking groups.
We host events that inform and challenge our thinking. Our Wednesday “Together” sessions have become a wide-ranging forum about life, with people moved to be increasingly proactive. The Thursday “Good to Know” sessions share knowledge, interests to pursue, insights and opportunities from a wide range of people, including teachers of skills and disciplines, statutory bodies, the voluntary sector and our members themselves. Our Town Meetings, scheduled as needed rather than weekly, give statutory and all-sectors a forum to address, hear from and co-invent with the Borough’s older population.
We have opportunities for members to engage culturally, with activities such as trips to the theatre, galleries, gigs and getting to know our City. Additionally, we have a writers group and various arts and craft type activities.
Increasingly we have space on the calendar for Learning, enabling members to learn new skills or rediscover old ones! Morley College has facilitated several starter courses, which have led to on-going events for members, and we are working with St John’s Ambulance to promote first aid and grow our own trainers!
One of our core values is “reciprocity”, so we co-invent with members opportunities to contribute and give back. We’re seeking to make our approach of ‘older people the solution, not the problem’ a common objective for all and pursue possibilities for members to share their skills and experience for the common good. For example, our

first group of members are training with Morley College to qualify as Peer Mentors. Our first group is in training now. The training will lead to members becoming a Walking Group leader to being one of our Activators. Activator members will help people find their way into things that they genuinely enjoy to increase wellbeing. We’re starting this with “Encouraging Physical Activity.”

We seek ways for our members’ voices to be heard and responded to by Lambeth’s health and wellbeing system. For example, Lambeth Together uses our Good to Know and Town Meeting capabilities to listen to citizens’ experiences. A

group of GPs are looking to run their own “Together” and “GtK” as a more effective approach to patient participation.

Fundamental principles in developing opportunities for members to contribute are:

Cascading: Trained members bring others in to also train in and support their activity.
Linking with services from Age UK Lambeth and partners.
Prototyping: Each activity area acts as scalable and sustainable prototype development that all sectors can join in using and progressing with us.

This work would not be possible without a range of partners, stakeholders, facilitators and trainers.

In addition to the individual session facilitators and hosts, we have developed several key strategic liaisons, including;

Lambeth Council, including the Children’s and Young People, Communities and Healthy Living teams
Several key arts organisations including Clapham Omnibus theatre, Old Vic and the National Theatre.
Neighbourhood Wellbeing Delivery Alliance, part of Lambeth Together ● Morley College
St. John’s Ambulance
UK Active, and Oxford Brookes University
The Age of No Retirement, and their Common Room approach
Other services and staff from Age UK Lambeth
Age UK Lewisham and Southwark

Why not join MYsocial Lambeth today?

Mysocial membership costs £50 annually paid either in a one off payment, 4 quarterly payments of £12.50 or ten payments of £5.00 Join today

This website is managed by Age UK Lambeth 3Space, International House, London SW9 7QE.