Project Profile – Age Exchange
I had the opportunity to go out with Age Exchange to observe and join in with their project. Age Exchange is a weekly project that runs every Friday, going out to care homes, or communal flats to work with elderly people in doing crafts, games and other activities. It used to be monthly, but the residents enjoyed it so much that they asked for it to be more regular, so it has now become weekly.
There are two PC’s (Project Coordinator’s) for the project, Portia and Maria. I had a chat with Portia before going out about why she chose Age Exchange and what she gets out of it. Portia has done a lot of other projects in the past, but until joining Age Exchange she hadn’t worked with older people, and therefore wanted a new experience. After doing other projects and volunteering for a time, it was natural for Portia to go into being a PC because she wanted more of a leadership role whilst also continuing to volunteer and experience new projects. Speaking to a number of other volunteers at Age Exchange the main thing that they got across to me is how rewarding it is, seeing the positive impact you can have on someone life.
The idea of Age Exchange is to bring together elderly people who perhaps don’t have many people to talk to, or wouldn’t otherwise interact much together. Each week the activities vary, I have had the chance to go along twice, and the first week we played a trivia board game, and the second time we did crafts and then played games. Mixing it up means that the residents have more variety and get to try new things. They also do themed activities sometimes, for example there is Easter theme coming up. It was great to see the students connect with the local community and enjoy each other’s company.
On the day, I arrived at the Discovery office on Singleton Campus at just before 2 pm, which is when I got chance to chat with Portia. While I was sat there, I saw a lot going on around me in the office, Friday’s are pretty busy at Discovery. There were start here interviews, DBS check meetings, supported volunteers, and as well as the general admin of the office. Then, at 2pm a taxi arrived to take us to where us to the project. Transport for projects is provided by Discovery from both Singleton and Bay campus, so as a volunteer you don’t have to worry about getting there. When we arrived at around 2.15, we were greeted cheerfully by the residents who seemed excited to have us there, they offered us drinks and were keen to find out what we would be doing that day. They would be making magnets, so we handed out the supplies and explained what we’d be doing and they got stuck in, drawing their own designs and chatting away. After making magnets, there was still time, so we started some games. One table played Uno, whilst one played Tension, and another Chess. It was great to see the residents enjoying themselves and getting to chat and have a laugh.
Age Exchange is great for people who want to work with older people in the future, but even so, it is still an incredible experience and extremely fulfilling. It’s a fun and rewarding way to spend a spare afternoon, putting a smile on someone’s face whilst also boosting your own mood and experience.
