The plan, the third of its kind to be developed by Council, is the result of extensive and detailed consultation throughout the community. It has been renamed from the Positive Ageing Plan with the intention of being more inclusive of all ages and abilities.
Through innovative ways Council has connected with people of all ages in the community about what they thought was important to include in the Age Friendly Plan. An ongoing partnership with University of Tasmania Sociologist, Dr Peta Cook, allowed for Council to connect with a broader range of groups and improve engagement.
For the first time as part of the engagement process reply paid postcards were handed out to the community, allowing people to go home and write their responses in their own time which proved to be very effective. Overall more than 500 individual responses were received, doubling the level of engagement for previous consultations and most importantly the information gathered was of high quality and very useful for the purpose of creating the plan.
At the centre of the plan is acknowledging older people as a valuable resource and the commitment to including them in the planning and strategic management processes of implementing the plan.
Other new key actions in the plan include work in improving the awareness of dementia, an increase in intergenerational partnerships and an increased focus on the ‘life course’ approach to delivering services and strategies for children and families right through to older persons. In response to other feedback, a new plan has been designed to make it easier to read.
Council continues to be acknowledged as a national leader through work with our ageing population, and was the first Tasmanian Council to join the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities in 2014. Mayor Doug Chipman said ongoing work in this space was crucial.
“Everyone in our community is ageing- it is something we are all affected by no matter how old we are,” Mayor Chipman said.
“There is much to be gained from working with our community across all ages. I am proud of the work we are doing in this space – Clarence City Council is leading the way for others to follow.”
An Age Friendly Clarence website has been established to provide information on a range of programs and activities for all ages. You can view the website at www.agefriendlyclarence.com.au