Connected Communities is a partnership project between English and French councils and the University of Essex. It has been designed specifically to increase connectedness amongst older people who are feeling socially isolated and lonely.

Connected Communities is an innovative mobile social prescribing plus project. Link-workers visit remote villages (and some urban areas) to support older isolated people, or those at risk of being isolated, to help improve their access to health and well-being facilities and services.

Older people are linked to existing social and community groups in their community. The project works with a wide range of voluntary organisations and community groups to develop existing social groups and establish new activities and services.

It focuses on an approach that asks “What matters to you?”. This builds upon what matters most to people and motivates them, putting an individual at the heart of developing a network of support.”