About Futures Together

Futures Together is a TimeBank mentoring project. Young Muslim women aged 18-35 volunteer to support older Muslim women to improve their English language and computer skills.

It aims to empower Muslim women so they can play an active role within their families and communities and have a greater awareness of issues facing younger generations.

Timebank knows from experience that intergenerational mentoring works. Previous TimeBank projects have shown us that people of different ages value the opportunity to get together, share experiences and learn from each other.

The project will run in London.

Why is there a need for this project?

Young people often take for granted their ability to use computers and access online services, and it is clear that many older people are being left behind. The same is often the case for older Muslim women who have not had the chance to practice and develop their English language skills fully and are therefore missing out on opportunities to play a full role in their local communities.

Although older Muslim women may have access to formal training in these areas, we know that being mentored by a volunteer provides a unique and more personal experience that has a stronger, far reaching impact.

TimeBank’s refugee mentoring project, Time Together, has proven that mentors can play an extremely effective role in supporting people to successfully build their confidence and English language skills.

Young Muslim women have a key role to play in supporting older Muslim women to boost their skills and confidence in these two areas. At the same time they gain a valuable opportunity to learn from the skills, experiences and advice of Muslim women who are older than them.

Through the skills learnt older Muslim women will be able to take a more active role in their communities, engage with the younger generation and wider society. This contributes to a stronger, more diverse and inclusive community.

About TimeBank

TimeBank is a national volunteering charity. We want to make volunteering part of the fabric of everyday life and a rewarding experience for everyone involved. We make it easy for people to find opportunities that suit their skills and lifestyle and we are always looking for new ways to tackle social issues through volunteering.

To find out more about our work visit www.timebank.org.uk