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PROJECT NAME ORGANISATION /GROUP
THE GIVING CHALLENGE PRIZES: AGEING WELL CHALLENGE
ONE SMALL STEP STONEWALL HOUSING www.stonewallhousing.org
One Small Step is a small project that makes it easier for volunteers in London to help isolated older Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people with small day–to–day tasks, like going shopping for groceries or walking the dog. The main aim is to reduce isolation for older LGBT people by connecting them with volunteers and to provide opportunities for people to volunteer that will fit more with people’s busy lifestyles. The volunteering opportunities are open to older and younger members of the LGBT community.
Innovation One Small Step is innovative because it addresses a well understood problem in a way that’s not been successfully applied to the LGBT community before. While similar things exist (befriending services, for example) nothing quite like this giving service exists.
Impact Stonewall is a trusted organisation for older LGBT people both as volunteers and as clients. One Small Step has provided an opportunity for intergenerational collaboration giving both older and younger members of the LGBT community a chance to meet and share experiences. This is an entirely new service for Stonewall Housing and a key impact for them as an organisation has been the ability to test the model, learn from the LBGBT community and continue to refine their offering.
From Clients’ experiences, Stonewall understood that LGBT people have experienced poor service and homophobia from other services. Stonewall Housing
