Connect Local is a social connection program based in Glen Eira, Melbourne. Based on a social prescribing model, Connect Local supports older adults to participate in activities within their local community, thereby fostering meaningful social connections and a sense of purpose and belonging. This presentation will outline the qualitative component of a mixed‑methods evaluation examining the implementation of the Connect Local program alongside its impact on participant experiences of loneliness, social isolation, and wellbeing. Qualitative data were collected to facilitate in‑depth exploration of stakeholder experiences. Data included transcribed interviews with program participants (n = 11), paid participant-facing staff (“Community Connectors”; n = 3), and social care providers (n = 8), as well as two focus groups with program volunteers (n = 12). Data were analysed using a deductive codebook thematic analysis grounded in the tenets of Social Capital Theory (i.e., Relational, Cognitive, and Structural social capital). Through this lens, we explored stakeholders’ lived experiences of Connect Local and how systems and individuals shaped program outcomes and sustainability. Our findings provide practical insights into the systemic conditions required to support effective social connection initiatives, with consideration paid to place-based factors. The social capital mechanisms underpinning successful implementation and delivery will be described. These can be used to inform the design of future social connection and social prescribing programs, particularly in the context of social inclusion and ageing well.