Social Mobility Month

Our CEO, Natalie de Silva, reflects on Social Mobility Month

In society, we often talk about social mobility in terms of children and young people and as a former school educator I used to think that way too. A young person’s education, jobs and future opportunities were always at the front of my mind when I worked in schools. At Age UK Wandsworth, we’re really proud of the work we do to support the social mobility of children and young people, which you can read about here. What I’ve been reflecting on recently though, is that social mobility doesn’t just stop at a certain age, it matters throughout our lives, including in our later years, because it’s fundamentally about continuing to widen people’s opportunities.  

For older people, social mobility isn’t typically about things like moving up the career ladder or getting a management position, although many older people I know personally are still working and have continued moving up the career ladder. In my opinion, it’s about opportunities to stay independent, feel connected to friends and community, and the ability to continuing enjoying life in ways we choose. Aspects such as health, income, housing and opportunity to access local support services play a huge part in shaping an older person’s later life. These areas may also be experienced by people in completely different ways, particularly in a diverse London borough such as Wandsworth.

One of the greatest challenges we see at Age UK Wandsworth is digital exclusion. More and more everyday services have moved online, such as medical appointments and financial management, so people without digital skills and/or access can easily be left behind. We are fortunate to have won a contract from Wandsworth Council to deliver digital inclusion support across the borough and you can read about this service here or attend a digital support session here.

Being socially included is just as vital to a good quality of later life. Whether joining in with a group class or activity, volunteering to help others, having access to lifelong education, all types of connection make a difference to wellbeing and help to tackle loneliness and social isolation. Not everyone has the same opportunities though, so that’s where Age UK Wandsworth makes a difference. We have a range of classes, activities and coffee mornings that help to break down barriers to social connections, which can be found here.

Improving social mobility in later life isn’t something we can do alone. It takes all sorts of local groups, charities, neighbours and volunteers to play their part in addressing social mobility. For older people, it might be the smallest things that make the biggest difference, such as a friendly chat, signposting or information-sharing. You can find our services here. It would be remiss of me not to use this opportunity to give our volunteering a plug here – we have a volunteering opportunity for everyone! Come join us at Age UK Wandsworth and help make this a borough where people of all ages feel included, connected and where we continue to promote social mobility.