Launched on 2 July, the Mayoral Communities Challenge consists of two phases.

Phase one focuses on communities and neighbourhoods and will concentrate on looking at age-friendly places across Greater Manchester that are making a difference to older people’s everyday lives. The deadline for all phase one submissions is midnight, Saturday 1 December 2018.

Phase two of the challenge - expected to launch in 2019 - will expand on phase one of the age-friendly communities challenge, inviting submissions on wider issues including employment, housing, and culture.

Who can apply to phase one

• You will be a group or partnership working collaboratively to improve the lives of older people. Applications should include a combination of two or more of: voluntary and community sector, public services and older people’s groups
• You will have instigated some programme of activity that makes your neighbourhood more age friendly, removing barriers to make places inclusive and accessible to all, and making a positive difference to older people’s lives
• You will be carrying out activity within one or more of the ten Greater Manchester local council areas
• Your scheme will involve older people in the design and/or delivery process.

Register your interest:

If you would like your work to be considered for the first phase of this challenge, please register your interest by emailing us at ambition@gmcvo.org.uk with a brief description of:

• Who is involved. Please list any partner organisations
• Where you are based. Local council plus neighbourhood/ locality e.g. Werneth in Oldham
• What you are doing to make your area more age-friendly, and what difference it has made to older people

We will then follow up with you later in the year to arrange a more detailed discussion about your project and to help you through the formal application process.

The judging panel

Submissions will be reviewed by an expert panel chaired by Professor Chris Phillipson from MICRA at The University of Manchester. Other panellists will include representatives from Greater Manchester Older People’s Network, Ambition for Ageing, and the Centre for Ageing Better. Successful applicants will also be offered support to further develop their plans by the Ambition for Ageing programme.

Timeline

Applications should be submitted by midnight 1 December 2018.