Ambition for Ageing eBulletin September 2020
Welcome to the latest issue of our e-bulletin which contains all the latest updates from Ambition for Ageing and our partners, and other ageing related news and events.
Please feel free to forward this bulletin onto your colleagues, contacts and networks who can subscribe to receive their own copy by clicking here.
Have you completed the State of the Sector Survey 2020? It is very important that small organisations voices are heard. It will take 20 minutes, so sit down with a brew and your annual report, and complete the survey here.
Ambition for Ageing (AfA)
New report: Ageing in Place for Minority Ethnic Communities
Our new research report explores the types of social infrastructure that people aged 50 and over from ethnic minority communities use in specific places.
The aim of the report is to understand how organisations working with ethnic minority groups engage with older members from their community and how this might have changed over time and to explore how individuals from ethnic minority communities use places, organisations and services for social contact and interaction.
BAME Ageing in the Community Conference: Watch online now
On 25th August we hosted an online conference to 120 participants. The event featured speakers from across the Ageing Better partnerships on topics ranging from setting up BAME Networks to funding culturally-specific financial inclusion projects in addition to an introduction to the findings of the report from the report authors and a workshop on next steps led by our keynote speaker, Patrick Vernon OBE.
We have created a YouTube playlist so you can watch the whole event, or just individual workshops.
Developing social contact models in a time of social distancing
Since tightened measures to restrict the spread of COVID-19 have been reintroduced in some areas of Greater Manchester, now would be a good time to check out our report on developing social contact models and projects for older people during this time of social distancing.
Alongside the main report we have developed practical resources, including:
- A number of design principles to best meet the needs of older people when designing projects whilst being mindful of social distancing requirements.
- A checklist of challenges to consider when designing or restarting projects.
- A collection of case studies of Ambition for Ageing projects that are compatible with social distancing requirements.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Programme Evaluation report
The Ambition for Ageing Programme Evaluation report seeks to measure the impact Ambition for Ageing has had regarding improving age-friendliness and social connections within our delivery areas.
Whilst this report is largely for internal use, it may be of interest to those wanting to know the impact of the Ambition for Ageing programme following the end of delivery.
Going forward, we will be using the findings of the evaluation to produce a number of practical documents to share the learning of the programme in a useful and digestible way.
GM Older People's Network (GMOPN) supported by Macc
Updates from the Network – September 2020
The most recent newsletter from the GM Older People’s Network features news, updates, resources and information, as well as an opportunity to get involved in a new campaign; Valuable not Vulnerable.
Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA)
Later life and pension decisions
MICRA researchers have published an article in the Journal of Ageing Studies titled 'How do people think about later life when making workplace pension saving decisions?'. It investigates how people anticipate the future when they make decisions about workplace pensions, considering whether they think about later life at all; if so, how they conceptualise it; and how these views shape their saving behaviour.
COVID-19: Considering the impact on older workers
Are you an older worker, related to an older worker, or an employer with older people in your workforce? You can now view MICRA's August webinar online.
Hearing loss, cognitive decline and mental health in the shadow of COVID-19
The September MICRA webinar recording is now available to view on YouTube.
Other News and Events
Touching at a Distance: Lockdown Soundscape
A collaborative digital soundscape which focused on connecting people through their everyday sonic experiences of covid-19 lockdown. Led by Mary Stark, it brings together a range of personal perspectives from the Culture Champions and the Bury Creatives. Participants recorded sounds with a mobile phone app and sent them to Mary by email, and online weekly discussions informed the development of the soundscape.
National Lottery Community Fund upcoming webinars
The National Lottery Community Fund have launched a series of online policy breakfasts, covering a variety of topics and issues relevant to the current situation, to share learning, insights, and best practice. Upcoming webinars include:
- Lessons learnt from community action on the environment, 17th September
- Co-production for the voluntary and charity sector, 30th September.
International Longevity Centre UK upcoming webinars
Upcoming webinars include:
- Why is longevity important to business?, 17th September
- Healthy ageing and adult vaccination in Singapore and Hong Kong, 24th September
- Delivering prevention in an ageing world, 29th September
- Healthy equals weathly: The global longevity dividend, 12th October
Competition to design age-positive icons launched
The Centre for Ageing Better have launched a competition – backed by Public Health England – to design age-positive icons that can replace the negative symbols commonly used to represent people in later life. The competition will close on 4pm, Friday 16th October.
Report: No Going Back: “Invest in a crucial sector or risk losing it”
Leaders of Manchester-based charities have shared their experiences of the Covid-19 crisis and their thoughts for the future in a new report produced by Macc, Manchester’s local voluntary and community sector support organisation.
Lessons from Lockdown
As the post lockdown period got underway, Policy@Manchester published blogs from researchers across their Faculties. The blogs in this collection aim to bring research insights and policy solutions to the attention of our key stakeholders to help in their work of finding policy solutions to a post COVID-19 world.
COVID-19 risks triggering long term unemployment crisis for older workers
A new report from Ageing Better and the Learning and Work Institute shows that the number of older workers on unemployment benefits has doubled as a result of the pandemic.
Mind Yer 'Ed: how over-60s in Greater Manchester have coped during the pandemic
The Talking About My Generation news team have shared their experiences of dealing with the ups, the downs and how they have found ways to look after their mental wellbeing during the pandemic through a Mind Yer ‘Ed blog series and a frank and heart-warming podcast chat.
Call Out: bOlder Greater Manchester Visual Artist Talent Programme for Artists 50+
Castlefield Gallery is calling for applications to bOlder 2020/21, a talent development programme for contemporary visual artists aged 50+, living in Greater Manchester who are currently unemployed or economically inactive. Application deadline is 12pm Monday 28th September.
Help reduce falls in older adults
Doctoral researcher and NHS Physiotherapist, Hannah Barbour, is conducting research into preventing falls and the link between falls and the vestibular system (inner ears).
She needs your help to complete her short online and anonymous survey. The research is open to anybody over the age of 65 whether or not you have had falls or balance problems. For further information please contact hannah.barbour@brunel.ac.uk
How do you use your parks?
The IGNITION project are researching innovative ideas about how public parks and greenspaces can be uplifted across Greater Manchester. If you live in Greater Manchester please share your thoughts with them by filling in this short survey to enable them to understand how you use your public parks and greenspaces and why they are important to you.
New artist residency scheme to explore LGBT visibility in older people’s homes
A new artist residency project will shed light on LGBT people’s experiences of sheltered housing and independent living schemes, looking at how LGBT visibility can be improved in these settings.
The Back in the Closet project will see five artists paired with five older persons’ housing schemes across Greater Manchester to work with both staff and residents to open a discussion on LGBT identities and to find both small and significant changes to make these environments more inclusive.
Launch of stage two of Emergency Grants for GM BAME Communities
GM BAME Network, supported by GMCVO, have launched stage two of their emergency grants programme. Small grants of £1000-£3000 are available to small GM BAME led VCSE organisations and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to help them respond to the needs of their communities.
GM’s Hidden Talent: Youth Panel Peer Evaluations Report
As part of the fellow GMCVO-project, Greater Manchester's Hidden Talent, the Youth Panel conducted peer evaluations with young people being supported by the programme.
These evaluations were an opportunity for young people to have their say on the support they receive and influence the development and evaluation of the programme.
This report details the peer evaluation findings. It faithfully represents the voices of the young people who are engaging with the programme, and is testament to the value of peer-to-peer exchange in eliciting honest and detailed insights.
Have you found this eBulletin useful?
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