Lively is a unique not-for-profit with a mission to transform aged care through intergenerational connection.

Our Purpose

We believe young people and older people need to support each other.

We train big-hearted young Helpers to provide personalised support for older adults to stay connected, active and creative. With relationships built on equality and mutual learning across generations, our approach sees both Helpers and elders contribute to and benefit from each other's experiences and knowledge.

We envision a world where older adults can thrive and meaningfully participate in their communities, while young people get the leg up as they need as they start out in their lives.

By cultivating a new network of intergenerational friendships, Lively is creating a society where both younger and older people feel valued, connected, and supported.

The Challenge

Social Isolation

1 out of 5

seniors (65 and older)
experience loneliness

Youth Employment

23%

of young Australians are unemployed or underemployed

Workforce

110,000

direct aged-care workers are needed within the next decade to meet demand

The theory of change

Younger People

Greater employability, confidence and self-esteem, and increased sense of value and contribution in their community.

Older People

Increased sense of control, activity and engagement in their daily lives, and a stronger network of social connections and supportive relationships.

Community

Greater empathy and understanding across generations, building an age-friendly society in which young and old feel they have an ongoing role and are seen as equally capable, adaptable and deserving of purpose.

The Lively Team

Robin Parkin

CEO
Sophia Davis

Partnerships Manager
Paul de Freitas

Chief Operating Officer
Hannah Mahoney

Matching Coordinator
Xinran Fang

Matching Coordinator
Cherry Dawn

Helper Coordinator
Lillian Thai

Helper Coordinator
Clalla Morishita

Digital Communications

Our Board

Katherine Leong

Board Chair
Anna Millicer

Board Member
Jon Eddy

Board Member

Our Story

Lively was founded by Anna Donaldson when she was 21 years old. At the time, she was volunteering to write the life story of an isolated older woman named Patricia, who had many stories and life experiences. When she witnessed Patricia’s rich life end in utter loneliness and isolation, she was motivated to find a way of preventing other older people from finding themselves in the same situation.

At the same time, Anna was concerned by youth unemployment, and by the prevalence of young people being turned away from meaningful work due to a lack of previous experience. She wondered—where do you get the experience when no one will give you a job?

Inspired by her own experiences of a meaningful intergenerational friendship, Anna saw the opportunity to build an organisation that would bring young and older people together to support each other—building valuable connections, and giving each other the leg up they both needed. And so, Lively was born…