Charity Spotlight: Making Connections
Supports that empower people to stay healthy and socially connected
We'd like to know about your charity. Tell us who you are and what inspired the creation of your charity.
Loneliness is a critical public health issue and is linked to a plethora of poor health outcomes. Loneliness among older people in Ireland has reached critical levels and in 2023, Ireland was identified as the loneliest country in the EU. Dublin has a higher-than-average proportion of older people and for this reason, Making Connections focuses exclusively on supporting older people in the greater Dublin area. We believe that although ageing is inevitable, loneliness doesn’t have to be.
What impact does your work have on the community?
Our work has a real impact in communities experiencing the sharpest intersection of ageing, housing pressure, and social isolation. We employ a collaborative approach with local government, the HSE, Volunteer Ireland and our corporate partners, to ensure that we are having the widest reach possible.
Our walking programmes enable older people to get back out into the community and our volunteers support older people in their homes, which allows them to feel less isolated and more connected. We also actively link people to their community by signposting local activities and providing necessary supports for attending them.
Would you like to share a success story that really represents what you do?
Martin is a man in his early seventies who has always had a passion for gardening. During the pandemic, he became increasingly nervous about leaving the house, until he was no longer leaving it at all, for any reason. Because of this, he was not able to do a lot of things that he previously loved doing, like tending to his garden, or even necessary things, like going to the shop. He found himself feeling very low.
In 2025, due to a leg injury, he was referred by a physiotherapist to Making Connection’s Walk & Talk programme. He felt extremely anxious about attending, as he had not left the house in such a long time. Somehow, he built up the courage to come to the first session and because of that decision, everything has changed for Martin. Not only did he take part in all 10 weeks of the programme, but he went on to get involved in our extended social walking programme. He can now get out on his own, visit his friends and even been get back to his beloved garden. Like many others, the crucial thing that Martin got from the walking programme, was his confidence back.
"I felt like I was done with this life, but now, I think I’m getting my spark back!"
How has being part of the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon supported your charity's mission?
We believe that this event aligns very closely with our mission, vision and values. In particular, our walking programmes which are conducted in collaboration with the HSE, give older people an opportunity to regain confidence and physical strength through exercise and community engagement. We have taken part in the VHI Women's Mini Marathon before on a much smaller scale - and we saw a huge amount of potential in it. We are incredibly excited to get a larger team together this year to increase awareness around the needs of older people in our community and to raise funds for the services that they rely on.
Contact Info:
Telephone: 0861413623 | Email: info@makingconnections.ie | Website: Making Connections | Alleviating isolation and loneliness for older people in our community