Helping a Charity Communicate the Human Impact of Loneliness and Community Connection

Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale supports older people across the region through services designed to reduce isolation, strengthen community connections and improve wellbeing.

Like many charities, the challenge wasn't a lack of impact.

The challenge was helping more people understand that impact.

Following the pandemic, volunteer numbers had fallen significantly. For the people Age Connects supports, this wasn't simply a staffing issue. Fewer volunteers meant fewer opportunities for connection, companionship and support for older people who were already experiencing isolation and loneliness.

Age Connects approached us with a clear objective: help more people understand why volunteering matters. However, as we explored the project further, it became clear that this wasn't really a recruitment challenge.

It was a communication challenge.

The organisation didn't want a flashy campaign. They didn't want to guilt people into volunteering. They simply wanted to tell the truth about what it feels like to be a volunteer, a staff member and a client.

Together, we focused on the stories already existing within the organisation.

By listening to volunteers, staff and service users, we uncovered experiences that demonstrated the real impact of community connection. Rather than relying on scripted messages, we allowed people to share their experiences in their own words.

The result was a series of Authority Assets that helped make the organisation's impact visible.

Through honest conversations and authentic storytelling, Age Connects gained a library of content that reflected who they are, what they do and why their work matters.

More importantly, the organisation now has a collection of resources that help people experience the human impact of their work before ever speaking to a member of the team.

The project reinforced an important lesson.

Sometimes the challenge isn't helping people understand what an organisation does.

It's helping them understand why it matters.