Reflecting with Stephen Burke – A Meeting of Minds
Before I even set foot in the UK, Stephen Burke co-founder of United for All Ages had already become a key connector in my Churchill Fellowship journey. We first met online, where he generously shared his time, insights, and network. His deep knowledge of intergenerational housing, care, and policy reform helped shape my itinerary and sharpen my focus. He introduced me to people and places that would become central to my research and critically, the opportunity to study Intergenerational Practice at Apples and Honey Nightingale.
By the time we met in person at Dishoom in Coal Drops Yard on my very last day, I had already visited several sites across the UK and Europe. The lunch wasn’t about introductions, it was about reflection. The restaurant was buzzing, the food was bold, and so was the conversation. We talked through what I’d seen: the strengths of co-located care and education, the challenges of scaling intergenerational models, and the cultural nuances that would shape how these ideas could land in Aotearoa.
Stephen was pragmatic and sharp. He asked the right questions, about funding, governance, and long-term impact. He was also clearly invested in global collaboration, keen to see how lessons from the UK could inform practice elsewhere, and vice versa. What I appreciated most was that he didn’t just offer advice, he offered critique, encouragement, and a sense of shared purpose.
That meeting helped me consolidate my thinking. It reminded me that while the models I’d seen were inspiring, the real work lies in adapting them to local context, building coalitions, and embedding intergenerational thinking into policy and design. Stephen’s mentorship was instrumental in helping me get to that point.
United for All Ages is a UK-based “think-and-do tank” founded in 2010 by Stephen and Denise Burke. Its mission is to create a Britain for all ages by tackling some of the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges, such as loneliness, ageism, housing, care, and intergenerational segregation, through practical, intergenerational solutions .
Scope and Purpose
United for All Ages works across sectors - housing, health, education, and community development - to bring older and younger people together in meaningful ways. Their work is grounded in the belief that intergenerational connection is essential for social cohesion, wellbeing, and fairness.
Their core activities include:
Campaigning for the creation of 1,000 “centres for all ages” by 2030 - shared spaces where services for different generations are co-located, such as care-home nurseries.
Consulting with local authorities, housing providers, and care organisations to design and implement intergenerational housing, care, and learning environments.
Coordinating the Intergenerational Housing Network, which brings together stakeholders to share best practices and scale innovative models.
Publishing influential reports, such as Hope for All Ages: Fifty Ways to Leave a Better World by 2050, which outlines a vision for intergenerational fairness and sustainability.
United for All Ages envisions a future where:
Every community has a centre for all ages, fostering daily interaction between generations.
Public services are designed for all life stages, not siloed by age.
Housing and care models are inclusive and co-located, reducing isolation and improving quality of life.
Policy and investment decisions are made with intergenerational fairness in mind, addressing inequalities in wealth, opportunity, and wellbeing.
Their long-term ambition is to embed intergenerational thinking into the fabric of British society, from planning and infrastructure to education and health systems.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, several organisations and initiatives reflect the ethos and ambitions of United for All Ages in the UK, promoting intergenerational connection, fairness, and long-term wellbeing. While there is no single direct equivalent, the following groups and movements collectively represent a growing intergenerational movement grounded in local values and indigenous perspectives:
Generations Connect New Zealand
Generations Connect NZ is perhaps the closest organisational equivalent to United for All Ages. It is a non-profit dedicated to fostering intergenerational connections across communities in Aotearoa. Their mission is to promote, create, and support intergenerational practices through events, education, and community partnerships. In 2025, they became the country lead for Global Intergenerational Week, coordinating national activities and collaborating with international partners to raise awareness and action.
Tomorrow Together – WEAll Aotearoa
This campaign, part of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa, is focused on intergenerational fairness in governance and policy. It advocates for a Future Generations Act in New Zealand, similar to Welsh legislation - to ensure long-term thinking in public decision-making. The campaign is grounded in Te Ao Māori values and seeks to embed intergenerational wellbeing into political, economic, and environmental systems.
Think Beyond – Equitable Intergenerational Futures
Led by futurist and systems thinker Jamie Harknett, this initiative promotes intergenerational fairness through futures thinking, indigenous knowledge, and systems change. It has hosted international leaders like Sophie Howe (Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner) and works closely with Māori organisations like Tokona te Raki to explore long-term tribal planning and intergenerational aspirations.
Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations (UIKI)
This research programme explores intergenerational Māori housing models in Tāmaki Makaurau. It focuses on kāinga (village) innovations that support the diverse needs of whānau, hapū, iwi, and marae, with a strong emphasis on cultural identity, collective living, and intergenerational wellbeing.
Link Age – Ministry of Social Development
Link Age is a government-supported initiative that promotes intergenerational learning and volunteering, particularly in schools and community settings. It encourages older adults to engage with tamariki through storytelling, cultural exchange, and practical skills, while young people share digital literacy and contemporary knowledge.
While Aotearoa doesn’t yet have a single umbrella organisation with the scale and policy influence of United for All Ages, it has a rich and growing ecosystem of intergenerational initiatives. These are often more decentralised, culturally grounded, and community-led, reflecting the values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and tino rangatiratanga.