Are you listening?

A booklet produced for statutory bodies on the effective engagement of older people Acknowledgements This booklet has been produced in partnership between Age UK, South East Network of Seniors (SENS) and South East England Forum on Ageing (SEEFA). It draws on Age UK’s Forum Toolkit and builds on Consulting and Engaging with Older People, published by Help the Aged in 2007, as well as further discussions between Age UK staff and representatives of older people’s forums and networks.

Age UK, the new force combining and Help the Aged, helps people enjoy a better later life – here and in 40 other countries – by providing life-enhancing services and vital support.

SENS brings together older people’s forums across the South East to share common concerns and seek solutions.

SEEFA is a multi-organisation partnership that shares best practice and raises awareness of issues on ageing in the South East.

We also wish to thank the members of the Age UK Engagement Development Reference Group who have contributed their views and ideas to this publication and provided information and advice throughout the development of this booklet.

For further information, contact the Engagement team at Age UK on 0800 169 80 80 or email [email protected]. The team has produced a number of relevant publications including the Engagement Toolkit and Forum Toolkit for starting and developing a forum. You can also visit www.ageuk.org.uk To find out more about the Equality Act and Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC), visit www.equalityhumanrights.com For references to Dorset Partnership for Older People’s Projects, visit www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/Insights_7_Prevention_That_Works.pdf or www.vimeo.com/22022973 There is a large amount of information about engagement on the internet. The following website may be of particular interest: www.involve.org.uk Photography on pages 7, 8, 11, 16 and 17 used courtesy of Enid Irving. Contents

1 Introduction 3

2 What is engagement? 4

3 Why engage? 6

4 Planning engagement 9

5 Mechanisms for engagement 16

6 Levers for successful engagement 19

Notes 20

Are You Listening? 1

1 Introduction

We are reminded daily by the media of our While accumulating legislation demands that rapidly ageing population and the pressures local people are involved in the planning and that this is already putting on local services. delivery of local services, this policy is backed Difficult decisions are having to be made by by a growing body of evidence, which shows local authorities and the health economy about that engagement is effective in delivering facilities and service priorities. Older people have cost-effective, useful services.1 a wealth of experience and expertise which they This is a good time for commissioners and are eager to contribute to help find solutions. providers of services to explore new ways to Older people’s forums – which will subsequently involve service users and potential service users be referred to as forums in this document in identifying priorities and opportunities for the – can be a useful engagement tool. Age UK reconfiguration of services. and its local partners work with a network of This publication aims to support local authorities independent forums through a programme and the health economy with their decision- called Speaking Up for Our Age. If you are not making by explaining how they can engage with already in touch with your local forum, please older people on the design and delivery of local make contact with the Civic Engagement services. As local citizens, older people wish to Officer within the Age UK Engagement and be informed and engaged on all local matters, Volunteering team and we will be pleased to not just on those that are assumed to be of put you in touch. Call 0800 169 80 80 or email interest, such as health and social care. [email protected]

Older people wish to be informed and engaged on all local matters, not just on those that are assumed to be of interest, such as health and social care.

Are You Listening? 3 2 What is engagement?

Civic Engagement, which is the focus of this 2.1 Informing, consulting, involving, booklet, has been defined as ‘collective actions collaborating, partnership, delegated designed to identify and address issues of power, citizen control public concern’.2 Different types of involvement are appropriate The terms ‘involvement’, ‘participation’ and in different situations, but the aim should be ‘engagement’ tend to be used interchangeably to strive for maximum engagement. Genuine and will be used thus in this document. engagement works best as a continuous process The different levels of involving people are rather than a one-off event. With this in mind, demonstrated by Sherry R. Arnstein’s community forums provide a valuable and cost-effective 3 engagement ‘ladder of participation’ in which foundation for local civic engagement. lower ‘rungs’ mean less participation and higher rungs equate to more participation. Arnstein considered the lower rungs, of informing, consulting, involving and collaborating as ‘tokenism’ because the power-holders still retain rights to decision-making. It is not until the higher rungs of ‘partnership’, ‘delegated power’ and ‘citizen control’ that citizens gain increasing degrees of real power and clout. citizen control

delegated power

partnership

collaborating

involving

consulting

informing

4 Are You Listening? Case study: A view of the Wiltshire model Just over four years ago, Wiltshire was This was achieved by developing good almost at the bottom of the national league practices around engagement, aimed regarding engagement with older people. at the improvement of services offered Senior citizens were determined to change by the council, and by involving the third this and as a result, out of a small think- sector in providing more local services. tank, a research programme was born called Service users have been invited to be directly Beyond the Immediate (BTI). The Wiltshire engaged in the policy-making decisions in Strategic Board gave its full support to this. many practical ways. Membership of key BTI has been an extraordinary example of boards, such as the Joint Commissioning how working together can really make things Boards on Care and Health, Older People happen if everyone is committed to a shared Services, Adult Abuse Board and the key aim. Over 50 agencies came together to Scrutiny Board, has brought about form the alliance, led by Age UK Wiltshire. substantial benefits. The over-50s themselves played a key role in There is also ongoing engagement with finding out about the needs, concerns and older people at grassroots level through the aspirations of their peers. This was supported establishment and development of 18 Area with funding, time, energy and practical help Boards, each with a reasonable budget to from statutory bodies and alliance members. decide on local improvements, as well as When Wiltshire became a unitary council, through annual events. service users, alongside others in the third sector, worked in close partnership with the council to make more effective use of scarce resources.

Are You Listening? 5 3 Why engage?

Wiltshire County Council is confident of the benefits that a structured engagement policy Case study: Portsmouth has enabled. municipal budget-making Successful engagement takes time, money In Portsmouth, the City Council invites and practical resources, so statutory bodies Portsmouth Pensioners’ Association and service providers will want to be clear about (PPA) together with other voluntary the reasons for engagement. These include: bodies, including the local Age UK, to a consultation meeting on a draft budget • government legislation requirements every January. PPA then meets to • s trengthening understanding between discuss and makes representations as a policy-makers, planners, commissioners, deputation (five minutes) at the full council service providers and service users meeting when the budget is agreed. • improving people’s later life This is an important process because once • ma king better use of resources. the budget has been agreed, the scope for further interventions later in the year 3.1 Government legislation over cuts, for example, may be futile. Following the budget, the PPA asks one As this publication goes to press, there is of the city financial officers to give them considerable uncertainty about the future a breakdown of all the expenditure on obligations around engagement that will older people for the coming year. be required of local authorities and service providers. What is absolutely clear, however, is that there is a growing expectation for local 3.3 Improving people’s later life authorities and service providers to have robust and demonstrable engagement It is neither acceptable nor feasible to make strategies in place. These will be fundamental assumptions about older people’s opinions to the effective local implementation of the and needs. Today’s older people are extremely localism agenda and the Big Society. heterogeneous, encompassing people with radically different life experiences and a wide age span of 40 years or more. This huge range 3.2 Strengthening understanding of difference is a challenge for planners, which between policy-makers, planners, can most effectively be addressed by involving commissioners, service providers people from across its spectrum. and service users As is illustrated in the case study below, older Forums tell us about the confidence that people have valuable contributions to make in effective engagement with statutory bodies ensuring that local needs are met through cost- and service providers brings. When older people effective, high-quality services. are engaged in decision-making, they are more easily able to understand the reasons for cuts and are eager to work with commissioners to find effective solutions that meet local needs. Building understanding and trust in this way paves the way for fruitful open discussions.

6 Are You Listening? Case study: Engaging people in the Dorset POPP programme This identification then led to the development of voluntary car schemes that provide transport to GPs, hospitals, shopping trips and social activities. Other examples of local projects include lunch clubs, table tennis clubs, exercise and craft groups, for example. These projects are organised and run by older people who volunteer their services. Older people make up the majority of members on the exchange group. Each Dorset County Council and Dorset NHS application for funds is scrutinised and must jointly fund the Dorset Partnership for Older demonstrate sustainability before approval. People Programme (POPP). Older people The older people of Dorset have also are engaged at every level of the programme contributed to developing a set of outcomes and have seats on the POPP board, against which all activities are measured. which provides governance for the scheme. Andrew Archibald, Head of Adult Services at Older people were involved in the selection the Dorset County Council, says: ‘The POPP and appointment of staff (manager and programme would not have been possible community development workers [CDWs]). or as successful had it not been for the very They are also involved in commissioning positive partnership with older people, which from independent providers to manage the has grown up over a number of years. POPP Leadership and Wayfinder parts of the Working closely in the way we do means programme. The Leadership and Wayfinder that we can continue to develop community- posts offer part-time paid employment and based initiatives and ideas which contribute many of these posts are filled by people to people’s health and wellbeing, and which aged over 50. make a real difference to their lives.’ Older people, working in partnership with the The National Development Team for 17 forums for the over-50s across Dorset and inclusion (NDTi), an independent organisation, the Dorset Age Partnership, identify needs is commissioned to evaluate the Dorset POPP. within their localities. With the help of the The evaluation demonstrates how people POPP CDWs and supported by POPP leaders, experience fulfilment by making a positive the older people make applications for funds contribution in participating in these activities. to the POPP Exchange Group, which allocates funds of up to £2,000 to start local projects. For example, many areas identified the lack of transport.

Are You Listening? 7 3.4 Efficient use of resources and budgets By engaging with older people, local authorities can provide the most appropriate services with the finite resources at their disposal. There are a number of areas where it has been proven that good engagement is cost-effective: 1 E ngagement helps to target services to where they will have greatest impact, as demonstrated in the Dorset POPPs work outlined above. 2 O lder people who are engaged in making a decision are more likely to actively support its implementation and will strive to make it work. This will often produce tangible savings in the resources dedicated to that service. 3 L ocal authorities have found that engaging older people in the planning of services and policies has helped to ‘future-proof’ services so that they take into account future needs. This is being achieved, for example, in Knowsley through an active older people’s forum, which is driving the vision and strategy for older people in the area and is supported by an involvement officer who is funded by the local authority.

8 Are You Listening? 4 Planning engagement

4.1 An engagement strategy 4.2 Resourcing The case study above demonstrates the value Successful engagement clearly requires of establishing an engagement strategy investment of time and resources. But the through which organisations, such as forums, benefits have been widely recognised. are supported financially and linked into existing For example, in Weston-super-Mare, planning structures. An engagement strategy forum members were asked to write down can usefully be underpinned by policies and details of broken paving slabs on postcards procedures for reimbursing expenses, that they sent to the local authority, thereby evaluating engagement activities, feeding saving the authority the cost of looking for back, and so on, which together create a clear broken pavements themselves. By mending and robust commitment to engagement. its pavements, the local authority reduced the number of falls and compensation claims. Where forums do not exist, or do not represent the breadth of the older community, In addition, in Eastleigh, a forum undertook a the engagement strategy should ensure that survey on housing needs that proved a valuable the diversity of the local older population is tool for the housing officer in producing the represented, including traditionally excluded council’s housing strategy.4 older people such as black and minority ethnic older people, older gay men and lesbians, or disabled older people. Many local authorities involve forum representatives on their older people’s planning boards and similar committees, and recognise the need to involve several representatives. Forums are eager to ensure that they have representation in the new local structures currently being established. Where representation from a group is sought, elections will need to be resourced, as will the processes of representing a range of views and feeding back.

Are You Listening? 9 Case study: How older people influence decision-making at all levels in East Sussex There are seven seniors’ forums in East Keith says: ‘East Sussex has a large population Sussex with a countywide umbrella group of older people and councillors were very – East Sussex Seniors Association (ESSA). committed to ensuring that their voice was ESSA and each of the seven forums receive heard. This is having a huge impact on all a grant from East Sussex County Council of the council’s activity. There has been a (ESCC) for running costs. ESSA has a main cultural change as the expectation on the committee and two theme groups: health quality of engagement has changed. Older and community care and transport and people really do have an influential voice.’ environment. These are the areas that In addition to getting political sign-off, there were considered a priority by older people. are two other important elements. It is The theme groups are an effective important that older people have evidence engagement mechanism for entering of how what they have said has influenced into a dialogue with senior officers from decisions and what is needed and why. the county council. There must be transparency in how older East Sussex County Council (ESCC) has people have influenced decisions. It is also produced a strategy called the Time of Our important to be very well organised and Lives that promotes the wellbeing of older structured, with a strategy, plan and targets. people. It covers eight quality of life areas that Older people must be part of the process that were identified as the main priorities for older monitors whether or not targets are being people. The strategy has been developed met and must help to deliver them. The with the active involvement of older people. model used in East Sussex needed a lot of There are also three representatives from initial investment in time and money but the ESSA on the Older People’s Partnership Board result is that the priorities of the council better (OPPB) and Improving Life Chances Board reflect what the local community says is (ILCB) respectively. These boards are multi- important to them. Hinkley adds: ‘Councillors agency and oversee the strategic planning really appreciate that we have a network of and commissioning of health, social care and 10,000 older people who are willing to share housing support services. their views about services. Once established, the network needs little more than some Keith Hinkley, Director of Adult Social Care, administration and an infrastructure that says that this strong involvement of older supports engagement.’ people was achieved by gaining agreement among councillors that this was the right approach.

10 Are You Listening? 4.3 Planning a consultation 4.4 Reaching your audience Forums welcome the opportunity to discuss All people in later life should have the how a consultation or collaboration could work. opportunity to become engaged in local Above all, they value involvement right from authorities’ and health service providers’ the start in order to prevent misunderstandings decision-making, so a wide range of media later on. Early discussions with forums, other and contacts need to be used, including: organisations and individuals, who come • local community magazines, newspapers, from a range of backgrounds and have radio stations, websites diverse perspectives and experiences, are invaluable for exploring the fundamental issues. • libraries, post offices, bookmakers, surgeries, These discussions enable understanding and hospital waiting rooms, bus stations and trust to be built between organisations, and also buses, shops, pubs, churches, notice boards make clear the aims and goals of the and launderettes. consultation to everyone. Setting the boundaries • social workers, service providers, district of the discussion, and outlining what can be nurses, day centres changed and what can’t, ensures that consultees • local voluntary organisations, community go into the process with realistic expectations. groups and places of worship.

Some councils have developed a policy on the Newsletters are an important way to reimbursement of people’s time and expenses communicate because many older people in supporting the work of the council. Such a do not have computers. For those who do, policy should take into account the needs of Facebook and Twitter are increasingly used. diverse communities and may include the costs of speakers of other languages, as well as carer costs. See East Sussex County Council’s Supporting People Service User Involvement policy.5

Are You Listening? 11 4.5 Promoting equality and It can sometimes be worthwhile to involve inclusive practice community leaders, among others, who already have the trust of older people in their Demonstrating a clear commitment to community. Again, it is vital to involve them right advancing equality and developing genuinely from the start. Sometimes innovative outreach inclusive practice is critical for local authorities as and communications methods are needed – for well as for forums. Thought and resources need example, having a market stall or approaching to be invested to engage those older people who people in shopping centres, or through places are often excluded and whose voices are least of worship, to get their views on an issue. likely to be heard. A clear strategy also needs to be developed to put this into practice. Thinking about who you’re trying to reach These excluded older people may be carers, and going to the places where they go can care home residents or people from black and be a basic, but important, starting point. minority ethnic communities, including travellers The Hillingdon BME Elders Forum, supported and gypsies. They may be lesbian, gay or by the local Age UK, provides an important bisexual, or socially isolated men. They may also ‘half-way house’ for Black and Minority Ethnic be people who are physically unable to get to (BME) older people to be able to get their meetings, or who feel intimidated or too unwell views and voices heard and fed in to the to attend meetings. general borough-wide Assembly, in which People from these diverse groups will often the overwhelming majority of participants have issues and concerns which are shared are from white communities. by the majority of older people. However, they will also have specific needs. Their views and contributions can be invaluable in helping Case study: Rotherham to design services that are welcoming to, and Borough Council’s ‘Home appropriate and inclusive for, older people from from Home’ quality scheme diverse backgrounds and with a range of needs – and not just those from a particular section Age UK Rotherham has supported the of the community. implementation of Rotherham Borough Council’s ‘Home from Home’ quality Day centres, community centres, coffee shops, scheme by running sessions in residential tea dance classes, faith centres and community homes to support residents and their groups can be very good places to start when families in expressing their views about trying to reach out to people who are often the care they are receiving. excluded. The benefits of developing genuinely inclusive practice in engaging with older people Questionnaires are another way are usually well worth the investment involved, of gathering people’s views. for all those concerned.

12 Are You Listening? Local councils often hold databases of people Top tips for gathering (for example, holders of the 60+ bus pass) and, people’s views within the confines of data protection, these existing resources can be a useful route for • Pilot questionnaires first with a broad involving older people. selection of older people to see if the questions are intelligible, relevant Interviews can be useful, although finding and acceptable. people who are prepared to be interviewed • Include a freepost address. may be challenging and time-consuming. Where there are safeguarding and mental • Ma ke hard copy and email versions, capacity issues, interviews in people’s homes and consider making any printed should always have an intermediary present materials, including questionnaires, who is well known to the person and who has available in different formats or been CRB-checked. Another option is telephone languages. Also ensure that people interviews. In these cases careful planning know how to obtain them. is needed, to ensure that the interviewee • Consider short questionnaires as they are understands the nature of the call. most likely to get a sizeable response. • Allow space for people to write their comments and plan how these will be included in the analysis of responses. • E xpect to pay the full mailing costs if mailing out through a local group. • Include questionnaires in local newspapers and newsletters in order to reach more people.

Are You Listening? 13 4.6 Arranging meetings Case study: BME elders Forums advise that it is helpful for participants project in the Midlands to receive about six weeks’ notice to attend a consultation meeting. In the East Midlands, a regional BME elders project was developed with funding Bad experiences of previous engagement from the Equality and Human Rights activities can be an unfortunate barrier to Commission. Consultants provided support persuading people to come to consultation and capacity-building for small groups events. Meetings may need to accommodate of older people to help them (a) identify the needs of a wide range of people, suitable local engagement opportunities, many of whom may have little understanding which they wanted to get involved in and of the topic under discussion, or of how your influence in some way, and (b) develop organisation works. their skills and confidence, such as speaking Involving key organisations, such as forums, in public meetings, writing letters and in planning your event from the start will ensure making phone calls to officials. their assistance in preparing and circulating publicity, helping on the day and encouraging their members to attend. 4.7 Feeding back afterwards Your local forum will be able to advise on key Regular feedback throughout the consultation matters, such as choosing suitable, accessible shows appreciation and maintains interest. venues; dates; times of day; and ways of Forums and participants will have ideas for good encouraging good attendance. A welcoming, practice regarding feedback. People involved in friendly and fun aspect to the event will relax consultations will want to see set out: people and ensure positive feedback. • what was consulted on Being able to meet people’s basic needs, such • what the responses were as making transport easy, providing car parking, • what action has been taken as a result setting an appropriate room temperature, of the responses ensuring that people are able to hear what is • what action has not been taken (and why). being said and to see and understand what is written, providing comfortable seating, meeting A summary of the feedback via radio and people’s dietary needs, and ensuring the close other press avenues, which can reach a wider proximity of loos and adequate comfort breaks, audience, is also appreciated. all contribute to a positive outcome.

Specific needs that may need to be accommodated include wheelchairs, guide dogs, interpreters, carers and signers.

14 Are You Listening? Regular feedback throughout the consultation shows appreciation and maintains interest. 5 Mechanisms for engagement

5.1 Older people’s forums The aim of older people’s forums is to give older people a voice. Many neighbourhoods will have one or more forums or other groups that represent the interests of older citizens living in that geographical area. These groups are generally independent, although they may receive funding and/or support in kind from local statutory or community and voluntary organisations.

Cambridge Older People’s Enterprise undertakes regular surveys of their members Forum representatives often have a place on on behalf of external bodies, for example, the the local Older People’s Partnership Board and Care Quality Commission, and has produced should be well placed to join the new health and a series of leaflets about local services. wellbeing partnership boards to ensure that the For 12 years the Speaking Up for Our Age voice of older people is heard when planning and programme at Age UK has supported the developing services. Clearly, forums need to be development of older people’s forums by resourced to provide this input effectively. providing information, a toolkit, and convening Surrey’s 50+ forum consults its 1,400 annual regional conferences for forums to members on most issues, such as mineral meet and share experiences and ideas. licences, waste policy or transport, In the West Midlands there are 65 Speaking for example. Up for Our Age forums. Their forum meetings The key to the success of independent forums include 1,700 people every two months is that they work towards having the widest and engage a wider network of 4,500 older and most inclusive membership possible, people. Over the last year these forums have so as to properly represent the voice of older conducted 23 surveys and put forward key people. They often hold open or public meetings, issues to the local authorities on important which provide a good mechanism for engaging. concerns that affect older people, including They also operate well as communication transport, health and social care, low income networks, disseminating information through levels, rising costs and housing. meetings and newsletters. There are some 600 forums across England and they may have hundreds or even thousands of members. As grassroot groups, run by and for older people on a democratic basis, they each operate differently.

16 Are You Listening? To work effectively, forums need support. This is often obtained through local authority or small grant funding. Other practical support that local authorities can provide includes access to meeting rooms, minute-taking, rent-free offices, help with transport to meetings, photocopying, mailings, information, help with printing costs and publicity and communication. Forums can be an excellent means of reaching out to people whose voices are seldom heard, where they are funded and supported. Many local authorities support local BME groups, which can feed into the local generic forum and seek As well as providing a conduit for local its support for their campaigns. authorities and the health economy to inform and consult with significant numbers of older Forums may cover a very local area, such as people, forums can also provide the following a village, town or district. Increasingly county valuable functions. councils are resourcing county-wide associations of forums, which can share concerns and raise 1 F orums aim to enable older people to have issues on a county-wide basis. The South East, an influence and a voice. There are many South West and regions have regional examples where older people’s campaigning networks of forums. is making communities better places for people to live. The South West Seniors’ Network is a regional body of 60 older people’s forums that have 2 F orums may have the capacity to undertake been set up by older people for older people. research. For example, Eastleigh Southern 6 It highlights issues and inequalities and has Parishes Older People’s Forum has an estimated 40,000 members. undertaken five research projects. A growing number of forums also have links and undertake research with universities. 3 F orums are well informed about local needs, local services and facilities. 4 F orums promote active citizenship and opportunities to use skills and knowledge to contribute to society. 5 Forums provide social opportunities for their members, which help to combat loneliness and isolation. These activities may have a wider impact. For example, they may include physical activities, computer training or intergenerational activities.

Are You Listening? 17 5.2 Older people’s champions 5.2 Older People’s Advisory Groups In some cases, older people’s champions have In some areas the local authority has been effective in ensuring the involvement, established Older People’s Advisory Groups participation and engagement of older people (OPAGs), which comprise older people who may in the planning and review of all aspects of a be representatives from organisations that local authority’s work. They have a key role in provide services and work with older people. holding the local authority to account to older These are different to forums that engage people. A good champion should have relevant with older people directly. OPAGs often have a understanding and experience, as well as valuable role to play in advising about existing strong representational skills. The champion can services and the practicalities of reconfiguring specifically look at tackling the eradication of or designing new services. In many areas, the age discrimination, consider older peoples’ OPAG representatives are elected from the issues in planning and decision-making and local forum. find ways to ensure that people over 50 are at the heart of decision-making processes. (See the Department of Health’s toolkit for older people’s champions.7)

Bristol Older People’s Forum undertakes an annual survey of its forum members’ views and concerns, and wrote a Pensioners’ Charter.

18 Are You Listening? 6 Levers for successful engagement

This checklist for successful engagement The following approaches have also indicates some of the key elements. proved effective in delivering Successful engagement: successful engagement. 1 H as transparent purposes, aims, 1 A commitment from the local authority’s and processes for engagement. cabinet to involve older people. 2 T akes the diversity of the community 2 I nvestment of time and money to develop into account when planning processes, an effective older people’s forum, which gives demonstrating clear commitment to huge benefits in the long term. promoting equality and inclusion in all 3 A county-wide network of older aspects of the process and has a clear people’s forums. strategy for achieving this. 4 W ide and inclusive networks of older people, 3 T reats people with consideration which provide a valuable reflection of of their needs. the views of a diverse population. 4 I s reviewed and evaluated to 5 T he provision of information and support improve practice. to participants, to help them understand 5 K eeps participants and people in the strategy and plans. organisation informed. 6 R esearch conducted by older people’s 6 S hows older people how they have forums to provide powerful evidence influenced decisions and what difference for change. these have made. 7 I nvolvement of older people at all planning 7 D evelops strong networks of older people meetings where decisions are being made willing to share their views and experiences. on matters of importance to them. Note the 8 U ses outcome-focused performance slogan: ‘Nothing about us without us’. indicators, such as those used in Outcome All subjects are relevant, as demonstrated Based Accountability. by forums’ involvement in issues as wide- 9 P ublicises successful outcomes ranging as waste management and from engagement. maternity services. 8 T he contribution of district councils to improving outcomes for older people and working with county councils to develop older people’s strategies.

Are You Listening? 19 Notes

1 A ge UK (2011) Engaging with Older People Evidence Review 2 A ge UK (2011) Engaging with Older People Evidence Review 3 S herry R. Arnstein (1969) A Ladder of Citizen Participation 4 E astleigh Southern Parishes Older People’s Forum (2007) Bleak Housing, available at: www.espopf.org.uk 5 E ast Sussex County Council Supporting People Service-user Involvement Policy, available at: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A428508F-6F4E-4FCC-9512-A5327A4A42AB/0/SP_ ServiceUserInvolvementPolicy_June2009.pdf 6 E astleigh Southern Parishes Older People’s Forum: www.espopf.org.uk 7 D epartment of Health guidelines for Older People’s Champions: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4085666

20 Are You Listening? Tavis House 1–6 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9NA 0800 169 80 80 www.ageuk.org.uk

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and registered company number 6825798). The registered address is 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ. Age Concern England (registered charity number 261794) and Help the Aged (registered charity number 272786), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group, dedicated to improving the lives of people in later life. The three national Age Concerns in , and have also merged with Help the Aged in these nations to form three registered charities: Age Scotland, Age NI and Age Cymru. ID10572 06/11