Sure Start to Later Life

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:

Halton Borough Council

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:

Project evaluation

Type of evaluation:

Interviews

Prevention service description

Sure Start to Later Life aims to prevent social isolation, improve wellbeing and promote independence. Older people wanted support from people that know them, to form relationships and found that signposting from information lines was insufficient and frustrating.

Local authority information officers visit people in their homes, and discover through discussions with them, and other methods such as dream workshops (where people are asked to identify what their ideal life would look like) things that they would like to do and achieve. Support can range from the provision of information about the range of activities open to them, to supporting older people to fill in assessments, deal with debt, to matching them with befriending volunteers (there are 12-18 volunteers who are part of the scheme) - the support differing depending on what the older person wants to do. It is run on a self-referral basis and support continues until desired goals are achieved.

Intervention/service type:

Befriending, mentoring and peer support; Information and advice

Target client group(s):

Older people