School of Sociology and Social Policy Research Seminar: What did Time to Shine do to tackle social isolation and loneliness in Leeds?

We are delighted to welcome Jessica Duffy (Leeds Older People’s Forum) to deliver the School Research Seminar.  

Abstract: Time to Shine was a 6-year programme  - extended to 7 by the pandemic – delivered by Leeds Older People Forum and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund as part of the Ageing Better programme. The 14 Ageing better partners worked in different places across England and used different techniques to tackle social isolation and loneliness in older people using a test and learn approach.

In Leeds, Time to Shine worked through a range of delivery partners undertaking large and small scale activity. Learning was collected in real time, collated and shared as part of the Test and learn process.

In this seminar, I will share some of the range of projects undertaken by delivery partners, and demonstrate what we learned about reducing social isolation. The Programme also received external evaluation from local and national evaluators.  

About Jessica Duffy

Jessica Duffy currently works for Leeds Older People’s Forum as the Good Practice Mentor.  She was the Learning Facilitator for The Time to Shine programme when she worked with delivery partners to gather the learning from their work, wrote the reports and is currently trying to share the learning.  “Sharing our learning is all about improving practice for the front line and helping commissioners to get results by commissioning well.” 

Leeds Older People’s Forum is one of the organisations that the School of Sociology and Social Policy partners with as part of its innovative ‘Beyond the University’ module.  In this module, we work in collaboration with a range of local third sector organisations on small scale research projects to support the work of the organisation.

Students work in pairs with an organisation and are supported by an academic member of staff.  The module is mutually beneficial, providing organisations with access to enthusiastic student researchers while providing students with an opportunity to enhance their employability and utilise their research skills on a real life project.  

The students act as ambassadors for the University and raise the profile of the University in the local community. Module leaders Suzanne Hallam and Adegbola Ojo (University of Leeds) will introduce Jessica: What did ‘Time to Shine’ do to tackle social isolation and loneliness in Leeds?   

How to join the seminar

Join Zoom Meeting 

Meeting ID: 832 3441 7878 

Passcode: 00Yzx+ 

No booking required.