The AGE inc project examined the development of the role of older people confronted with poverty and social exclusion in the implementation and further improvement of National Action Plans on social inclusion (NAPs inclusion). In order to facilitate the participation of older people in this process, AGE inc developed a workshop tool kit, a methodology for organising participatory meetings with older people. The underlying concept in producing this working instrument was that older people experiencing poverty and exclusion should be given the chance to be heard and, most of all, to be listened to with their voice and concerns being reflected in political planning, decision making and controlling at all levels.
Taking the opportunity of the project transnational dimension, the participants also exchanged experience and good practices with regard to participation in the NAPs inclusion consultation process at national level . Equally important, the participants examined the way that the European social inclusion process has a mutually reinforcing relationship with the two additional strands (i.e. pensions and health and long term care) in the Open Method of Coordination on social protection and social inclusion (OMC SPSI), as well as with other relevant processes, such as the United Nations’ Action Plan on Ageing.
Outcomes
Apart from the participatory workshop tool kit, a range of recommendations aimed at all actors and at all levels of policy making were produced by the project, looking at further improvements in both the mechanism of the European social inclusion process and the work of AGE Platform in strengthening the direct involvement of older people. Publication ‘Give a voice to Older People in Poverty and Social Exclusion!’
This final AGE inc publication is based on two years work accomplished within the project and brings a series of recommendations for both the organisations working with older people confronted with poverty and social exclusion and policy makers at all levels.
Please see also below the interim reports from the national and transnational meetings.
For further information on the project, please contact: maciej.kucharczyk@age-platform.eu
Presentation on the findings and recommendations of the AGE inc, Brussels, Belgium, 26 June 2007
The final presentation of the results of the AGE inc project was held on 26 June 2007 in the European Parliament in Brussels. This meeting was hosted by Jean Lambert, MEP and co president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Ageing.
This presentation will have the following objectives: Give voice and visibility to older people experiencing poverty and social exclusion Present the policy priorities identified by older people in seven countries Share the experience of the partner countries on the drafting of the NAPs on Social Inclusion
Four older persons from Ireland, France and Germany were invited to the session in the European Parliament. They presented some testimonies to illustrate how growing older affect their daily life reality and what challenges and problems older people face in today’s society.
The meeting ended with a session of questions regarding the main findings of the project that were addressed to the present policy makers.
Toolkit Participation of vulnerable groups, such as older people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, in policy making
The final tool kit produced by the first year of the project marks one of the major achievements of the project.
This “tool kit” is designed to provide older people’s associations and other interested actors with the information, ideas, suggestions and guidance needed to plan, organise and run small meetings with vulnerable older people (older people living in a situation of poverty or social exclusion). Such meetings are aimed at giving a voice to the most at risk older people, with the ultimate aim that this voice be heard by decision makers at local, national and European levels.
There also seems to be very good reason to believe that the tool kit could be used to advise those looking to work with other groups experiencing poverty.
The partnership recommends the reading of the tool kit to all those interested in work in this field.
Download: BG, CS, DA, DE, EL, EN, ET, ES, FI, FR, IT, LT, LV, HU, NL PL PT, RO, SI
AGE inc Fifth International Meeting Report Vilnius, Lithuania, 15 16 May 2007
The fifth international meeting was held on 15 16 may 2007 in Vilnius in Lithuania. The meeting was co hosted by the Lithuanian partners’ from Gabija.
As the AGE inc project has entered its final phase, the meeting in Vilnius presented the project’s recommendations established over the last year, in particular with regard to the workshop tool kit . The project partners together with other AGE members discussed the use of the tool kit in practice, looking in particular into mid and long term perspective once the project ends.
The main objectives of the meeting were to: Present and explain the recommendations established by the project Discuss practical ways in which organisation may use the project’s tool kit at national and local level to consult older people; Evaluate the results of the project and potential usefulness of its outputs for their future work in fighting the social exclusion and poverty of older people.
Please see below the final report from the meeting in Vilnius (including recommendations to the older people’s organisations on how to ensure that the results of the project are used as advantageously as possible beyond the period of the project) available in English only .
Download report: EN
AGE inc Fourth International Meeting Report Dublin, Ireland, 8 9 March 2007
Looking at implementation of the NAPs process, Dublin conference examined the role older people and their organisations can play in the monitoring and implementation of policies on social inclusion and discuss the setting of indicators on the measurement of poverty and social exclusion from the perspective of older people.
In addition to this, there were also two presentations from: the Director of the Office for Social Inclusion, Gerry Mangan, on the Irish experience in the NAPs policy process and; the Head of Research and Policy of the Combat Poverty Agency, Kevin O’Kelly, on mainstreaming social inclusion.
Please see below the final report from the meeting in Dublin (including recommendations to the older people’s organisations on NAPs implmentation, monitoring and assessment) available in 6 languages :
Download: CS DE EL EN FR – LT
AGE inc Third International Meeting Report Prague, Czech Republic, 9 10 November 2006
Building up on the experience and work accomplished within the project so far, in particular the final version of the tool kit (see next section), Prague conference looked at both the drafting process and the content of the 2006 2008 NAPs on social inclusion .
Please see below the final report from the meeting in Prague (including recommendations to the older people’s organisations on NAPs consultation process) available in 6 languages:
Download: CS , DE , EL , EN FR LT
AGE inc Second International Meeting Report – London, UK, 29 30 June 2006
The second international event focused on the following objectives: To share the learning about policy issues from the workshops of older people experiencing poverty and social exclusion (OPEP) To share the learning about organising meetings of OPEP To share ideas about improving the tool kit and setting out clear indications as to how the project partners should amend it To highlight key European level policy issues and set out European level policy recommendations where possible
Please see below the final report in English from the meeting in London:
AGE inc First International Meeting Report (Cologne, Germany, 16 17 May 2006)
AGE inc First International Meeting Report – Cologne, Germany, 16 17 May 2006
The project participants examined the way that the European social inclusion process has a mutually reinforcing relationship with the two additional strands (i.e. pensions and health and long term care) in the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) on social protection and social inclusion, as well as with other relevant processes, such as the United Nations’ Action Plan on Ageing.
Please see below the final report from the meeting in Cologne available in 6 languages :
AGE inc National Reports from the first year of the project
The project in the first year used test workshops in the seven participating countries to develop a final workshop tool kit.
The test workshops also identified some of the most urgent needs and requirements raised by OPEP, which were then discussed at national meetings held in seven partner countries.
These meetings formulated final key policy messages to be forwarded by older people’s organisations within the consultation when possible on the 2006 NAPs inclusion.
Please find below the seven national reports availabe in English:
