Profile of Beneficiaries

The FRIEND programme for older adults is a blended learning programme for socially isolated older people that wish to (re)gain social skills, improving their coping mechanisms and empowering them to make new connections to tackle their social inclusion. 

The evidence from Stevens’ work (2001) reveals that the participation of the programme to develop social skills in making new friendships is effective, though there may be limitations in terms of the scope of the impact. Nevertheless, for the purpose of the FRIEND Programme, the selection criteria are wide and expand from those defined by Stevens’ work. For the FRIEND Programme, older adults 65+, regardless of their sex, who live in the community may participate in the programme. The baseline condition of these participants does not have to be a formal referral of “feeling lonely” or “in social isolation”, though there is an assumption that the programme FRIEND would benefit those; in addition, FRIEND would prioritise those older adults in vulnerable conditions, also meaning older adults facing economic obstacles or lacking lifelong learning opportunities, and those who could be at risk of social isolation.

Despite this, Stevens (2001) has found that the disclosure of such criterion could impede older adults (from her intervention study, older women) to join the programme. Then, the focus is more on inviting older adults to embark on new connections and prevent or overcome loneliness and social isolation, being the most important criteria the interest and motivation of older adults to explore new social connections.