WELCOME to East Lothian Intergenerational Network

East Lothian wide

OUR NETWORK MEETINGS

Getting around the county

To be added to the circulation list to hear of meetings and make connections, email:

intergenerationalnetworkEL@gmail.com and note JOIN in the subject line.

Existing to create "The Best Start In Life for All E. Lothian's Children", we collaborate and connect to make a difference in our communities.

To find out more - check out Support from the Start website or email SFTS Haddington.

Support from the Start has a local network in each 'school cluster area' and/or area partnership zone along with an overarching county-wide link between them all. The network of parents, carers, volunteers, practitioners and managers exists to support our youngest members of the county, taking a holistic approach.

Each network exists as a collaborative; co-designing the work and priorities we take on to cover early years (pre-birth to 8 yrs old) and encourage intergenerational connections for the children, as well as the wider groups, as we recognise one of the identified characteristics for children to thrive. (GUS Report - relationships with grandparents / IG work addressing the benefits of generational connection and learning).

Dementia Friendship Groups. Open to all living with a diagnosis and family / friends. Find out more from Sue at Dementia Friendly East Lothian Intergenerational connections throughout.

East Lothian's Walking

& Wheeling Festival

Getting out and about across E. Lothian, on guided walks / wheels, or self-guided ones. Website info here.

Meet new folks and chum pals.

Play Maps - available in Haddington, Prestonpans, Nr Longniddry and Haddington area

Play Maps are designed for all ages - an encouragement to get out and explore local area - and share your own explorations through the facebook page.

Walks and Trails across the county.

A wonderful way to enjoy time together and get to know others is walking together. Groups and pairs can be enhanced by being intergenerational approach. Have a look for a local walking group - buggy walks, ramblers, Paths for All etc.

Enjoyleisure is ELC partner for the council's sport centres and various other facilities.

Check out eligibility for lower costs / free access. With sport, exercise and physical activity to important for all ages - consider what opportunities can be developed on intergenerational basis - then start a conversation about it.

Choirs

There are many choirs all over E. Lothian and although all may not cover all age groups and abilities, they are still covering many generations.

We also have Clark Community Choir and Pencaitland Community Choir who have set up to be Intergenerational from their outset.

Find out more from Ruth Davie at Fundamental Foods.

(Pennypit Community Trust)

E. Lothian Friendly Food Network & Charter

Good Food Charter & Network

The Good Food Charter is designed to bring communities and organisations together to create a thriving, food-resilient county. We can achieve our sustainable food mission by working together and committing to their seven charter goals.

Food is nearly always a great connector between generations, just as it is for anyone - the Friendly Food Network also addresses other concerns such as climate-responsible choices, sustainability and food / financial poverty so you may well want to be a part of this network if involved in intergenerational work locally.

Grandmentors East Lothian

A matching process between young people, aged 16-24, and a volunteer aged 50+ who acts as Grandmentor in relevant ways, building confidence, skills and sense of emotional wellbeing. Young person may or may not be care experienced. Contact Adam to find out more about E. Lothian programme.

East Lothian Champions Board

A partnership between ELC and Who Cares! Scotland, giving a voice to children and young people in the county who live in, or have experienced living in, care and is supported by those who also have this experierce..

The Grandmentors programme would be delighted to work with young adults who have experienced Living in Care in E. Lothian, but is open to all young people 16-25 yrs to be matched to a mentor aged 50+.

Tel: 0131 665 0135

Carers of East Lothian

For all those unpaid carers offering substantive and regular care to family / friends / others in their community. COEL have a website and facebook page sharing the various opportunities locally and useful information. Don't forget to get in touch with them to let them know about you, and what you are doing!

Young Scot and East Lothian Council support Young Carers.

To find out more about ELC commitment and useful information, including Young Scot package, click here or check with local youth workers / in school for Young Carer Youth Workers / Champions or ask about the Young Carers Forum. The Council support is managed by Marie Prior. ELC Young Carers also engage with The Carers Trust with the Scottish Young Carers Festival.

Young Carers of E. Lothian ELC

A charity offering support across the county alongside E. Lothian Council support. (Scot Gov)

More than just your NEC card....

Homeyoung.scot is Scotland's national youth information platform. Find out more about the Young Scot card, Discounts, Rewards, information and opportunities to get involved.

Dunbar Rotary present award to Kirsty McLuckie and Dunbar Grammar School for intergenerational project.

We have several groups of the Rotary around E. Lothian - all of them deeply engaged in their communities, supporting with time, ideas, links and funds from their own charity, The Rotary Foundation.

Many of the groups themselves are intergenerational (if not all), spanning several decades from eldest to youngest members, but they also actively develop and volunteer for projects and events, directly supporting children and youth groups or others in younger adulthood and help to ensure wonderful things happen in our communities. Through applications to support from their Foundation, knowledge of projects and groups in each community is also gleaned and can often lead to engagement and more direct support from those within the rotary group.

QMUbelong

Queen Margaret University, on the border of East Lothian and Edinburgh, is keen to engage, welcome and build with the community of East Lothian - through learning together both on and off campus, through shared courses, events, outreach and community partnerships. The wider community work is focused around "together" with students and staff already partnering with those in community to do things such as caring for allotments, planting the Wee Forest and becoming Tree Champions, enjoying the facilities and the campus environment. There is a strong ambition to strengthen this further - sharing skillsets and interests as well as research and building a reputation globally for a caring, innovative and creating learning community, where we all belong regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, experiences or cultural backgrounds.

FURTHER AFIELD

Village in the City

Mark McKergow is well experienced in solution focussed work, engaging with people in many corners of the world, but what about his own? When the focus became his own Neighbourhood, Village in the City was born and Mark has used his expertise to focus both locally and worldwide.

Nurture Development

Cormac Russell, the founder of Nurture Development, is well known for his tireless work on Asset Based Community Development - and certainly well-known to both Sue and Loreen who have been lucky enough to spend time in his company for workshops and training.

Why not tune in to Mark's podcast, speaking with Cormac, about the latest co-authored book published ,"The Connected Community," (- which is particularly apt for us here in East Lothian!) or listen to Cormac's short introduction to ABCD working.

Discover more through Village in the City website -

Perhaps find out how the West End of Edinburgh's first Coorie-in week has gone too?

GOALD

It's been interesting to hear bits and pieces about this research project with University of Stirling & partners. Although impacted by pandemic and post-covid effect on schools directly interacting, the research has continued and there are now to be a direct link into creating new tech which uses developed ideas to benefit older people (through intergenerational engagement & development). All hoped to improve active and engaged lifestyles in older people.

danceSING care

A study was piloted with Balhousie Care Group and University of Stirling to test out the benefits of a regular active dance and music (singing) session with residents with very positive findings.

Towards a Good Life

A toolkit created at University of Stirling with partners (Age Scotland) and piloted by STAND in Fife. Funded by Life Changes Trust. Designed to support wellbeing within communities.

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