Outcomes, Lessons and Messages from the Independent Evaluation of the Changing Ageing Partnership in Northern Ireland CARDI Conference, November 2011 people lives communities people lives communities
Overview The Changing Ageing Partnership (CAP) and the Evaluation Outcomes, lessons and messages:- Four Key Impacts Five main lessons and priorities for increasing older people’s advocacy in Northern Ireland A vehicle for applying the lessons and building on “what works” people lives communities
Introducing CAP Age Concern NI - improve older 5 year change programme people’s advocacy through local & to increase older people’s regional forums & raising age awareness more widely voice and influence at a Help the Aged NI - build capacity of local and policy level: the age sector to fight for older Develop evidence-based research people’s rights through community to inform policy and practice development approaches, better development networking and communications Advocate on behalf of older people Queens University Belfast - generate Build the capacity of older people knowledge and promote its use and organisations to fight for older through research based evidence to people’s rights inform policy and practice. Improve the advocacy skills of Worker’s Educational Association – older people increase learning and skills development of older people so that they start advocating for themselves. people lives communities
An independent evaluation - NDTi Phase 1: Stock- take “where are we now?” April -Oct 2009 Phase 2: What’s changing, for whom, how & why; progress in achieving objectives. Nov 2009 - March 2010 Phase 3: Assessing the impact of CAP on increasing older people’s influence on policy & practice in NI. Working with local evaluators April 2010-March 2011 Phase 4: Sharing & embedding “what works” April – October 2011 people lives communities
Four Key Impacts – CAP has contributed to: 1. Stronger partnership-working on 3. Shifting attitudes towards older people’s advocacy : ageing and older people : Developing new opportunities A greater awareness and profile of older people Enduring cross-sectoral working in Northern Ireland More sophisticated debates with and about older people Streamlining the work of the Partners involved in CAP. Moving to a social justice model 4. Raising the political profile on 2. Increasing voices of older ageing and older people: people : Older people and ageing on a par New channels of communication & with other policy agendas engagement More organised and effective Opportunities created for older people’s participation influencing and campaigning activities. Increased confidence & lobbying skills people lives communities
Five Major lessons 1. Understanding the diversity of older people and ageing in Northern Ireland Increasing the strength of older people’s voices through co - 2. production 3. Developing and sustaining effective partnership working 4. Clarifying and tracking the outcomes of partnerships 5. Translating research into actions that promote older people’s advocacy people lives communities
Priorities for the Future [carry on learning!] Ongoing improvement of advocacy activities and practices - engage and amplify the voices of diverse older people in Northern Ireland; Formal mechanism for integrating different advocacy activities, disciplines and sectors - prepare for an ageing society, challenge negative attitudes and enhance older people’s voice/influence; Channel future investments in major social change programmes in Northern Ireland, and agree methods for measuring progress towards the changes these programmes are designed to achieve; Creating more opportunities for reflection and learning people lives communities
Proposed mechanism : An Age Advocacy Alliance for Northern Ireland 1. Developing a shared vision, aims and desired outcomes to guide diverse advocacy activities from Autumn 2011. 2. Translating evidence about the design of and outcomes from older people’s advocacy over the last 5 years 3. Ensuring older people’s voices are central and role modelling co-production: membership, determining priorities, delivery of functions/activities 4. Role modelling partnership working at strategic, policy level: using the “top tips” on partnership working identified by CAP funders, partners and evaluators 5. Creating opportunities for reflection and ongoing learning so that knowledge about what works is shared and problems resolved people lives communities
Contact details Helen.Bowers@ndti.org.uk 01202 471423 www.ndti.org.uk people lives communities
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