All older people more active, more visible, more creative, more connected, more often.

Annual Report 2019

1 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019

Contents

At Age & Opportunity, 4 Chairperson’s Statement our aim is to inspire people aged 6 CEO’s Statement 9 Strategic Plan 2018-2020 50+ to live a dynamic and fulfilling 10 What We Do life where they are more active, 12 Our Strategic Themes more visible, more creative, more 13 Age & Opportunity Active connected, more often. 22 Age & Opportunity Arts 32 Age & Opportunity Engage 38 Corporate and Public Affairs 44 Governance and Structure

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We know that positive ageing requires I would also like to thank our CEO and all significant policy and programme responses our employees, and our extended team Chairperson’s in multiple areas. We ensure that our work and partners across Ireland for being is aligned to key strategies, such as the instrumental in helping Age & Opportunity Statement National Positive Ageing Strategy, Sláintecare, to achieve the best possible quality of life Healthy Ireland, the National Physical Activity for people aged 50 to 100 plus. It is in all Plan and the National Sport Policy, The Arts of our interests to challenge ageism, as an

Ita Mangan Council of Ireland’s Making Great Art Work, investment for our futures and those of Chairperson and Culture 2025, the National Cultural Policy younger generations and I am proud to be a Age & Opportunity Framework. We also ensure that our work is part of this important work. aligned to international best practice and we contribute on a European level through our I am delighted to present Age & Opportunity’s We have reported on our work throughout engagement with AGE Platform Europe. Ita Mangan Annual Report for 2019, documenting our 2019 under these thematic headings in each Chairperson continued work on the objectives set out in of our pioneering programmes in the core I would like to recognise the voluntary Age & Opportunity our Strategic Plan 2018 - 2020. areas of sport and physical activity, arts and commitment of my colleagues on the Board, culture and civic engagement and personal and across our Committees and our Advisory Founded over 30 years ago as a response development. Groups, and to thank them for their support to the need for promotion of more positive and commitment. Our ability to meet our attitudes to older people and ageing, we have 2019 saw us focus additional resources on strategic priorities has a direct impact on the established ourselves as leading thinkers on policy, research and evaluation and enhance day-to-day operations of Age & Opportunity. ageing in Ireland, exploring key issues such our understanding about what ageing in We believe that good governance is vital in as what is older age, how we can plan for our Ireland means for people today by increasing our sector, ensuring effective decision-making own ageing and what positive changes we opportunities for dialogue and feedback and prioritisation of resources, and we will can make in our own lives to ensure that we across all of our programmes, strengthening continue to work to uphold those standards live well for longer. our capacity to measure and demonstrate within Age & Opportunity. the impact of our work and creating more Our work over this period has been opportunities to influence policy decisions configured using four strategic themes which that affect older people and those who work are fundamental to us achieving our vision on their behalf. and mission: This year also saw a particular focus on z Creating and Promoting Diverse supporting and influencing the work of care Models of Ageing settings and home carers so that all older people can engage in meaningful activities z Influencing Public Policy and flourish at home, wherever that may be. z Supporting and Developing our Programme Partnerships We have ensured throughout the year that the voices of older people z Optimising our Organisational Capacity continue to inform everything that we do and have paid particular attention to engaging with and listening to those whose voices might be less heard.

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We enhanced our focus across our three PPALs course. We were fortunate to CEO’s programmes on providing initiatives for older receive funding from the Community people who are socially excluded or isolated, Foundation Ireland to develop and and we celebrated significant successes in test a new initiative for adults living Statement the following areas: with Intellectual Disability inspired by our Ageing with Confidence course, z During 2019 we further developed and we will be incorporating this into and evaluated our Artist in Residence Karen Horgan our PPALs course delivery. We plan CEO in a Care Setting initiative, which to deliver Ageing with Confidence for Age & Opportunity brings together artists and the Intellectual Disability from April 2020. residents of care settings to creatively engage over a number of months. We continue to reach older individuals It gives me great pleasure to report to With our renewed focus on ensuring that the In 2019, this initiative was funded and groups through our model of working you on Age & Opportunity’s activities and voices of older people are heard in everything through the National Creativity Fund, in partnership with other agencies and achievements for 2019. we do, we recognize that older people do the HSE National Lottery and the Arts organisations. We are very grateful for the not form a homogenous group –we are all Council, creating access to the arts for ongoing support of our partners, including Throughout 2019 we continued to different and we are all ageing differently older people regardless of where they the national networks of Local Sports implement our Strategic Plan for 2018 to and there isn’t a one size fits all approach to are living, and addressing the paucity Partnerships and Arts Officers, HSE Health 2020; a key focus of it is an investment in achieving the best possible quality of life. of meaningful creative activity in many Promotion and Services for Older People rigorous research that will test, measure and care settings. communicate our initiatives. Our ethos of putting older people first Offices, libraries, active retired groups, ensures that the views, opinions and z In 2019 we were delighted to receive Family Resource Centres, Day and Residential We are achieving this by: experiences of diverse older people inform funding under the Sláintecare Care settings, Men’s Sheds, arts organisations all that we do, and our focus on quality and Integration Fund, which has enabled around Ireland, National Governing Bodies z Championing the creativity and inclusivity means that we work to ensure us to broaden our reach further to for Sport, the Irish Prison Service, Age value of older people; equality of participation for all older people, older people who are living with Friendly Ireland, Older Peoples Councils and irrespective of background culture, identity, chronic illnesses. We are delivering Age Friendly Alliances in every county. z Combatting stereotypes and setting or location. Our focus has been on our Changing Gears initiative to seven negative views of ageing; promoting the engagement of older people groups of older people in HSE CHO Our work would not be possible without z Developing inclusive and engaging in their local communities and, at times, their 9, in order to support participants to the strategic relationships that we have experiences which respond to the engagement at a national level. boost resilience and to enhance their developed throughout the country, and a key interests and needs of the diverse techniques for self-management of focus of our Strategic Plan 2018 to 2020 is older adult population; Throughout 2019, we engaged with 85,050 their health conditions. on continuing to support and develop our older people throughout the country, in programme partnerships, so that our work z Developing, testing and measuring z In 2019 we further developed our every county, from a mixture of rural and continues to make a real impact. I would the impact of pioneering partnership with Trinity College urban areas, from various socio-economic like to thank all of our partners around the programmes and approaches; Dublin’s IDS-TILDA on our Physical backgrounds, with varying levels of country for their delivery of high quality Activity Leaders course for people experience of social exclusion and loneliness outcomes for the people we serve. z Making evidence available to policy with Intellectual Disability (PPALS). makers and service providers; and isolation. This course trains older people with I would also like to thank our funders, in z Working with partners and intellectual disability to lead activities particular the HSE and the Department stakeholders to ensure that Ireland’s and games with people in their of Health, Sport Ireland, the Arts Council polices, strategies and programmes own centres. Following the success of Ireland and Creative Ireland for their are directly informed by the needs of the initiative in 2018, further continued commitment, without which our and experiences of older people. funding has been secured by Trinity work would be impossible. College IDS-TILDA to run another

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I would like to thank the Board of Trustees Finally, thank you to all of our participants of Age & Opportunity for their unwavering of our programmes the length and breadth commitment, strategic leadership, expertise, of the country who continue to enable us Strategic Plan advice, support and guidance, and also our to push the boundaries in exploring diverse Finance, Governance, HR, Quality and Safety models for ageing. Our participants bring an Committee, our Audit Committee and our incredible resilience, determination, humour four Advisory Groups for their commitment and fresh thinking to all aspects of our work 2018 – 2020 and expertise. in delivering the best possible quality of life for all older people. The advent of Covid-19 in Ireland in March 2020 has brought many challenges to us in terms of re-imagining our Karen Horgan Our Vision programme delivery and has resulted in the CEO reconfiguration and development of many Age & Opportunity An Ireland where all older people are more active; new initiatives. I want to particularly thank more visible; more creative; more connected; my colleagues for rising to this challenge in such an energetic and dynamic fashion. more often. Their commitment, passion and innovation has ensured that we continue to broaden our reach so that we can ensure that more older Our Mission people stay connected, active and creative during these difficult times, whatever their Our mission is to achieve the best possible age and wherever they call home. quality of life for people aged 50 to 100+.

Our Values Older people first Inspiring The views, opinions and experience of We celebrate and showcase diverse older people inform all that we do.. inspiring stories of ageing.

Equality / Inclusivity Excellence We work to ensure equality of We strive to create an ethos of participation for all older people, excellence with strong governance irrespective of background, culture, and clear transparency. identity, setting or location.

Pioneering We explore and push out the boundaries relating to opportunities for activity, creativity and visibility.

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What We Do Our Year in Numbers

Age & Opportunity is the national We work with local communities and Capturing the year in numbers is a groups in physical activity. Generally, each organisation that provides a range of organisations across the country to run particularly challenging exercise for Age trained PAL will engage ten people in their opportunities for older people who want to a range of programmes and activities in & Opportunity. Each of our programmes, group in physical activity. get more involved in arts and culture, sport three key areas: Arts, Active and Engage, are designed with and physical activity, civic engagement and a multiplier effect. We engage with older In our Arts Programme our Bealtaine Festival personal development. Age & Opportunity Active is people, building their capacity to be leaders, is so deeply embedded in Irish society that designed to get us more active and organisers and agents of change, inspiring the largest arts and cultural institutions rub Our aim is to inspire people aged 50+ to participating in recreational sport them with transformational experiences to shoulders with small community groups and live a dynamic life in which they are more and physical activity. pursue further opportunities and signposting care settings in the same programme, all active, more visible, more creative and to other organisations that can open other taking ownership of this most democratic Age & Opportunity Arts provides more connected. worlds. As a development organisation celebration of the arts and creativity. opportunities for us to engage we have spent the last 30 years initiating One of our key priorities is to truly more in arts and cultural events In our Engage Programme those older projects and letting them go and flourish by understand what ageing in Ireland and initiatives. people who engage in our active citizenship themselves. This is our great strength, we can means for people today by increasing the initiative will go on to make meaningful see our influence in the inclusion of older dialogue we have with them - conducting Age & Opportunity Engage offers changes to impact positively on more older people in national policies and strategies, regular research through focus groups a range of workshops and learning people in their communities. the inclusive outreach programmes of and workshops and by generating more initiatives for our own personal cultural institutions, increased participation opportunities for their feedback across all development as well as opportunities Over the years we have explored different rates in physical activity and the increased of our programmes. for us to play an active role in ways to capture the numbers relating to our our community. confidence, visibility and citizen engagement work. While we can count those who register of older people. But it does pose a challenge their Bealtaine events with us we know that for us each year when we come to add up the there are many, many more events that are numbers of people reached. not registered. We know that we cannot capture every event held and individual who In our Active Programme our Physical Activity has been inspired by our work and so we Leaders (PALs) initiative programme trains present the figures below as the very lowest older people to lead the members of their numbers of people reached.

Programme Number of Number of Number of initiatives events / participants workshops in each initiative

Active 34 1,247 34,594

Arts 17 1,048 50,006

Engage 21 65 450

Total 72 2,360 85,050

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Our Strategic Themes Age & Opportunity

The strategic themes and objectives in our A key focus for the life of our Strategic Plan Strategic Plan 2018-2020 were developed 2018-2020 is investment in rigorous action in collaboration with our staff and Board, research programmes which test, measure active informed by a combination of consultations and communicate initiatives. We aim to with participants, stakeholder and funders, influence perceptions, policy and practice an analysis of national policy around ageing at international, national, regional and and a thorough analysis of all of our areas. local levels.

We focus on programmes that improve We have organised our work for 2018- What we want to see for quality of life for older people in three core 2020 using four strategic themes which areas: sport and physical activity, arts and are fundamental to helping us achieve our older people culture, and civic engagement and personal mission. We wish to be a catalyst for a broad development. Our Strategic Plan 2018-2020 range of partners and stakeholders, both An Ireland where all older people are more active; more visible; renews our focus, by stimulating meaningful established and new, for the development more creative; more connected; more often. change in the quality of life of older people and delivery of high quality outcomes for the through an enhanced strategic use and older people they serve. Age & Opportunity Active is the national sport and physical activity programme for communication of our programme outcomes. older people funded by Sport Ireland and the HSE. The programme is designed to get us more active, providing opportunities for us to take part in recreational sport and physical activity.

Theme One Theme Two Creating and promoting Influencing public policy Why We Run Our Being active just 30 minutes diverse models for ageing a day can offer you a range of Active Programme benefits including: Theme Three Theme Four Science has proven that staying active keeps z Better balance Supporting and developing our Optimising our your body younger and your mind happier, z Co-ordination no matter what it says on your birth cert. programme partnerships organisational capacit z Greater range of movement The World Health Organisation has warned z Flexibility that a sedentary lifestyle could very well be among the 10 leading causes of death z Better strength Please see our Strategic Plan 2018-2020 for full details. and disability in the world. Just 30 minutes z Stay healthier of physical activity a day five times a week z More contentment can make a big difference to our health, but z Increased energy levels only a third of us are following these guide- z Increased social connection lines. Our Active programme aims to get all older people more active more often. z Preventing falls

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Since 2001, our Active Programme has been getting more older people more active more often. We are funded by Sport Ireland as part of its commitment to increase participation in physical activity and recreational sport among older people. The objectives of our Active Programme are closely aligned with Sport Ireland’s strategy, as well as the National Physical Activity Plan, the National Positive Ageing Strategy, National Sports Policy, Healthy Ireland and National Sport Policy 2018 – 2027.

Physical Activity Leaders (PALs) CarePALS

Our PALs initiative is an education and CarePALs is a two-day course, adapted from peer leadership scheme which teaches the PALs workshops, which empowers staff older people how to lead sport and physical in day and residential care settings to lead activities with their peers within their own suitable physical activities with older people groups and in their local communities. who live in or visit their setting. It is based on our original PALs leadership model and In 2019, we held 60 Physical Activity Leaders means that physical activity sessions can be (PALs) workshops, attended by a total of 125 delivered by staff and included as part of the PALs (81 new PALs). There are approximately daily or weekly routine, without cost to the 1,030 PALs leading or organising physical care setting. activity for their groups and getting their communities more active. During 2019, a total of 135 care staff attended our CarePALS workshops. The HSE National Office of Health Promotion and 2019 which saw a record number of first- Improvement have continued to support FitLine time applicants. The grants also offer an this initiative since 2016, funding five of the opportunity for local sports clubs and leisure Throughout our work in 2019, we enhanced courses in 2019. The other three courses centres to get funding to implement sport our focus on providing initiatives for older were funded by HSE National Lottery grants and physical activity programmes within their adults at risk of social isolation, including or through local organisations. clubs, specifically aimed at people over the those who may not be members of an age of 50. existing social group. FitLine, our volunteer The National Grant Scheme led telephone-based motivation line encourages older individuals to become 2019 marked the 19th allocation of our We received a total of 1,231 applications and more active through one-on-one phone National Grant Scheme, which provides 1,084 grants were allocated. Over 30,000 support, with a schedule tailored to their funding to groups of older people to support older people will take part in physical activity own needs and agreed goals. During 2019, them in their work and commitment to funded by these grants, that’s 30,000 older mentors continued to make fortnightly calls get more older people more active. Local people getting more active, more often, every from Kilcross Family Resource Centre and Sports Partnerships and HSE Coordinators year for the past nineteen years. The 2019 Maynooth Library. By the end of 2019 our work closely with the groups when they are allocation brings the total grants allocated FitLine service had 58 participants, supported applying for funding giving assistance and to over 15,000 and total funds allocated to by 12 volunteer mentors. advice to applicants. In many cases they almost €6 million. help to distribute application forms locally, helping us reach even more communities and groups of older people. This was evident in 14 15 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019

National Go for Life Games with the Physiotherapy Service in HSE CHO In addition, we contributed this year as 9 and Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing a stakeholder to the development of Almost 300 finalists attended our seventh Partnership to deliver the course to six cycling policy through Get Ireland Cycling National Go for Life Games, held in Dublin participants (max recommended eight) with engagements and we continue to inform City University in June 2019. They represented an average age of 81. debate and policy development as a 23 different counties; each county had a team member of the All Ireland Physical of 12 people, playing three different sports. Influencing Public Policy Activity and Ageing Group convened Many of the teams were selected locally from by the Institute of Public Health. Sportsfests or Games Leagues around the Much of our work is run in partnership with country supported by our Active Programme, the Local Sports Partnerships who are a Partnerships with National the Local Sports Partnerships and the HSE. central point within each county for sport With the help of national lottery funding and physical activity. Our PALs programme, Governing Bodies for Sport three Regional Games events took place in Go for Life Games, Programming for Older In 2019 we continued to engage with more 2019 involving 176 participants from ten Adults and other projects focused on older National Governing Bodies for Sport so that counties with four more planned for 2020. adults, are all possible because of the close older people were introduced to the huge relationships we have developed over the variety of sports that exist in this country. Our Otago Falls Prevention years with these organisations. Go for Life Games proves to us that older people can still have that competitive edge An additional initiative this year was our In the National Sports Policy 2018-2027, the and very much enjoy being part of a team and involvement in co-delivering an Otago course, government recognises that policy cannot representing their county at national games. a falls prevention course aimed at frailer be implemented in isolation and urges older people who have fallen or are at risk all agencies to work together to increase Swim Ireland and the Irish Underwater of falling. The course entails 6 weeks of HSE participation in sport and recreational sport Council joined up with us again to host physio led classes followed by 20 weeks of to enhance the physical wellbeing for all. another open air swim event during fitness instructor sessions. We teamed up European Week of Sport and throughout Our CarePALs programme, funded by the the year we worked together to deliver HSE, like The National Physical Activity Plan Aquafit programmes in counties Mayo, for Ireland (NPAP) and the National Positive Wicklow and Donegal introducing Ageing Strategy (NPAS) is focused on keeping 100 older adults to the activity. older people as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Fencing Ireland demonstrated their sport at our National Games event to all the During 2019, Age & Opportunity contributed participants who volunteered to try their to the HSE/HaPAI funded Move for Life hand at fencing. For most it was their first research project led by University of Limerick exposure to the sport. both as a steering group member and a research partner. In both of these roles we We continue to work with the FAI on influenced the policy recommendations to events and training, based on walking increase participation in physical activity football which is becoming increasingly using the capacity building models of popular with older adults. mentoring and leadership promoted by Age & Opportunity. We also contributed to the development of a standardised evaluation framework to fulfil part of the National Physical Activity Plan.

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European Week of Sport Other sports tried and enjoyed during European Week of Sport were archery, This Europe wide event takes place each trampolining, orienteering, walking football, September and it encourages everyone golf, wall climbing, chair yoga, outdoor across Europe to become more active and swimming and a variety of our own involved in sport. Each year we place a strong Go for Life games. emphasis on engaging with the National Governing Bodies for Sport and with local We nominated some of our PALs for the activity providers as part of the #BEACTIVE European Week of Sport #BeActive Local campaign for EWOS 2019. Hero Award. Of those nominated, Kathleen Atkinson from Cabra was chosen as one of Once again we contacted our network of three Irish representatives to go forward to Physical Activity Leaders (PALs) and members the European selection in this category. of their groups, asking them what sport or activity they would like to try. As well as introducing new sports to the groups it enables us to work with the National Governing Bodies for Sport, which are more than happy to extend their reach to older people. The Great Dublin Bike Ride was the last day of the EWOS 2019 and our new “Sofa to Saddle“ group took to the road, having trained for 10 weeks, and completed the 60km trek around the Greater Dublin area. TU Dublin (formerly DIT)

We contributed to the Physical Activity for Older Adults module in TU Dublin which is part of a Leisure Management degree course. Our Active Programme trainers delivered two workshops to 20 students training them how to devise and deliver sport and exercise sessions that are safe and enjoyable for older people.

Collaboration our existing Physical Activity Leader (PALs) across Europe programme. PPALs was developed as a course to train older people with intellectual We worked as an associate partner with disability to lead activities and games with Trinity College Dublin’s IDS-TILDA and the people in their own centres. In Ireland University of Barcelona on a project called 15 participants took part in the training PPALs in 2018. The project was funded by EIT sessions where they learned the skills and Health and was based on the same model as confidence to lead their peers in activities.

18 19 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Active Programme The same training took place in Barcelona Moveage-Act and there are now 28 PPALs across both Our Year in Numbers countries. Following the success of the pilot, Age & Opportunity partnered with Trinity we honoured our commitment to deliver one College on Moveage-Act project, funded by EIT Health, with the aim of engaging older Activity / event / workshop Number of Number of Number of PPALs course each year as part of our core initiatives events/ work- participants programme delivery. Twelve participants took adults across France and Ireland in a series shops in each part in this training in 2019 which will be of health-oriented community-based events initiative and activities to promote active and healthy completed in 2020. Physical Activity Leader (PALs) ageing. Other partners include University Training Workshops (for new PALS) 6 8 81 of Grenoble and ESeniors. The project was Further funding has been secured by Physical Activity Leader (PALs) Trinity College IDS-TILDA and through the supported across our three programmes. Training Workshops (for existing PALS) 2 6 44 Within our Active Programme a “Sofa to Community Foundation to run another Local Games and Sportsfests 1 5 209 PPALs course with an added “Ageing with Saddle” cycle group was started with the Confidence” element and to include an aim of taking a group of beginner/novice Go for Life Regional Games* 1 3 176 additional European partner, University of cyclists from little or no cycling experience National Go for Life Games 1 1 288 to completing the Great Dublin Bike Ride. Munich. Development of the course began National Go for Life Games Volunteers 1 1 41 in 2019 and will be delivered in 2020. Fourteen participants took part in a 10 week programme with 12 completing the 60km Programming for older adults 1 1 20 bike ride in September. Physical Activity Module for Older Adults in TU Dublin 1 2 20 EIT PPALs workshops (physical Activity Leader workshops for people with intellectual disability) 1 4 12 EIT PPALs refresher day 1 1 15 CarePALs – Two-day course (training those in case settings to facilitate physical activity sessions) 8 2 135 Erasmus Train the Trainer day (part of Erasmus+ Sport project) 1 2 14 Grants Launch 1 1 70 Fitline mentoring 1 52 58 Otago Falls Prevention course 1 20 6 Aquafit Programme (in collaboration with Swim Ireland) 1 30 100 Sofa to Saddle Course 1 10 14 European Week of Sport 1 12 271 Fitline mentor workshop 1 1 11 Active trainer workshop 1 1 9 Older people’s groups funded by our National Grant Scheme 1 1,084 grants 33,000

TOTAL Active Programme 34 1,247 34,594

*Our Go for Life Games are being played by local groups around the country on a regular basis. Note – Since the beginning of the programme we have trained 2,376 Physical Activity Leader (PALs), of which 1,030 are active facilitating and organising physical activity sessions in their own groups each year. (1,030 active PALs working with an average of 10 people, so the PALs reach is approximately 10,300 people each year). 20 21 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019

Age & Opportunity

Why We Run Our Our Arts programme arts specifically aims to: Arts Programme z Create opportunities for the greater participation and representation of Our Arts Programme aims to provide more older people in the arts; opportunities for older people to engage with the arts and to demonstrate and z Create arts initiatives for celebrate how our creative potential can disadvantaged older people; improve with age. z Provide professional opportunities Creativity is a key factor in how we adapt and peer-to-peer supports for older to ageing and a number of studies have professional artists; shown how there are health and wellbeing benefits for older people who engage z Devise opportunities for with the arts, and in creative activities. intergenerational exchange; The evidence suggests that the arts and creativity specifically strengthens z Encourage debate that seeks to self-confidence and morale in later life, influence national and international What we want to see contributes to physical and cognitive policy around key cultural issues health and enriches relationships through impacting on older people. for older people greater social connectivity.

Age & Opportunity is Ireland’s leading An Ireland where all older people are more active; more visible; organisation in developing arts initiatives more creative; more connected; more often. with and for older people. Through our Arts programme, we support Age & Opportunity Arts is a dedicated arts programme comprising a range of the meaningful participation and initiatives and events celebrating and supporting the arts as we age. One of our representation of all older people in biggest events is the annual, high profile, and month-long Bealtaine Festival which cultural and creative life in Ireland. takes place in May throughout local communities all around Ireland. We also facilitate We do this work through resourcing artists, day trips to museums, galleries and other cultural events (Cultural Companions), arts participants and arts organisations to run a programme of artists’ residencies in studio spaces (Age & Opportunity Visual raise the standard, knowledge-base and Artist Residency in Wexford) and in care settings (Artist in Residence in a Care Setting), visibility of the arts and older people sector. devise professional development training initiatives for artists (Prime events), and We also aim to underline the importance of create various development initiatives for arts organisations and artists wishing to the arts to positive ageing and to influence work with older people. policy and practice in the area.

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In 2019, we conducted an in-house evaluation of Bealtaine, led by our new Policy, Research and Evaluation Manager, Mary Harkin. This built on the methodology developed by the independent evaluation by Aideen Ward commissioned in 2018. The evaluation once again showed an overwhelmingly positive response from our audiences, partners and organisers. As in 2018, the positive response was reflected in a Net Promoter Score (which measures satisfaction levels) Index of 48. Satisfaction with the festival was even higher amongst those who attended our events regularly, indicating that the deeper the connection to the festival, the greater personal return for the participant. In addition, our national partners reported that most of their events achieved our high-level strategic goals.

Most of our participants continue to be women aged over 51 (with a higher number and expansive with 809 separate events in Bealtaine Festival in this age group engaged by the festival all 26 counties during 2019. There were 54 we develop in-house). We are working to Established in 1995, the Bealtaine Festival events developed in-house during Bealtaine encourage higher participation amongst is the world’s first national celebration Festival 2019 and 755 developed by our men. The evaluation also reaffirmed the of creativity in older age and Ireland’s partners around the country. These events importance of varying event sizes with largest co-operative festival. The festival included performances, exhibitions, lectures, smaller events often preferred although takes place each May for the entire workshops, participatory projects, touring, larger events have the potential to increase month. Through Bealtaine, we bring and discussions across all artforms. together older people and artists from all feelings of visibility. In a new addition to “Thank you, Xenia* was powerful, over Ireland and across generations to the survey developed in partnership with I’d like to see more events of a similar participate in arts and creative activities. the Global Brain Health Institute at TCD, we ilk in Dublin – multidisciplinary and discovered that almost everyone attending participatory”. We have been very successful in establishing our events believe that the arts keep their Bealtaine as a national festival and it has mind sharp. “Great show, immersive, thought become a central cultural programme in Irish provoking. Performances were life. The festival has also been inspiration for Below are some testimonies from our outstanding. Bealtaine festival audiences: the development of international festivals I didn’t realise that this was a including Luminate in Scotland, Gwanwyn in “We had a marvellous event at the Tea Bealtaine event!” Wales, The Age of Creativity in England and Dance. Thank you Age & Opportunity”. ARMAS in Finland. “This is such a great festival – long may “It was a great festival, please keep up it run!” In 2019, we had approximately 195 the great work. A month of art work cross “Really stimulating event enjoyed this Bealtaine partners around the country country celebrating the joys of ageing and departure to the more dark side of ageing.” and reached an estimated 48,829 people. the lived experience is something to kept Bealtaine has continued to be ambitious and treasured”. * (a Bealtaine opera commission from Nick Roth)

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Bealtaine 2019 comprised a mixture of z performing arts (i.e., a music and Over the course of 2019, after receiving annual Bealtaine events and a significant storytelling collaborative commission significant funding from the National programme of new festival events. These with Abair/Samaa, a collaborative Creativity Fund, as well as support from the events included: Dance commission with the Door, HSE CHO National lottery funds and the Arts the Bealtaine Theatre Tour); Council of Ireland, and following a public call, z special initiatives based on six care settings around Ireland were carefully partnerships with major cultural z visual arts (i.e., a network of nation- selected as residency hosts, and even organisations and events designed wide visual arts events as part of more carefully matched with six different to encourage all generations (i.e., Hospitable Actions, commissions such artists (with the input of the respective care Bealtaine @ Temple Bar, Bealtaine Get as The Key Was Always in the Door settings). Each artist spent a number of Creative with Voluntary Arts Ireland by Collette Nolan and Gerry Murphy, months in each care setting, in some cases and ACNI, Bealtaine @ International Liminal States by Alanna O’Kelly concluding with an exhibition or family event. Museums Day etc.); and the research project Kitchen The six artists conducted over 166 artistic Promises); z literature and in-conversation engagements with 119 residents and 21 staff (i.e., bringing together different z performances; at the care settings which ranged from not for generations of writers in Standing profit nursing homes, to community hospitals z exhibitions; on the Shoulders of Giants, a multi- and day care centres. artform discussion on artists’ careers z public events An independent evaluation reported in Artists-Lives; (involving new commissions); on ‘overwhelmingly positive findings z an exploration of dance practice and z film (the access film tour); from the programme’. The evaluation artistic reflections on death and dying Supporting Older Arts highlighted impacts arising from the unique z workshops. in the Bealtaine Debate; Participants and Audiences relationship between these artists and the residents of the care settings in relation z music (i.e., outdoor choral Our Cultural Companions programme to increases in the sense of personhood, performances with the Dawn and provides increased opportunities for older being listened to, being seen (underlining Dusk Chorus); people to engage with Ireland’s vibrant arts the capacity of the arts to illuminate each and cultural scene. It does this by creating individual resident to each other) more local networks of older people interested in social connectivity and simply, joy. Other the arts and culture who accompany each more medically oriented impacts concerned other to events. improved mental and cognitive health and critically, general morale. Supporting older people in care settings

During 2019 we further developed and evaluated our Artist in Residency in a Care Setting initiative, which brings together artists and the residents of care settings to creatively engage over a number of months. We developed the initiative in 2017 in order to create access to the arts for older people regardless of where they are living, and to address the need for meaningful creative activity in many care settings.

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Supporting Artists

We support and celebrate artists by providing continuing professional development and training in both the practical areas of their career (i.e., finance/pensions etc.) and by exploring more in-depth issues to do with visibility, networking and staying professionally connected.

We also support artists by encouraging creative relationships between professional artists of different generations and between professional artists and artists with learning disabilities. Research Projects Supporting Organisations Creative Enquiry - Arts and Older People Our annual Bealtaine Gathering brings was an investigative collaborative venture together our local and national festival that creatively explored fresh approaches partners for a day of networking, inspiration, to arts engagement with older people. discussion and feedback on the festival. The focus of the Creative Enquiry was We also run networking, knowledge three artist-residency and older-people- exchange and other support initiatives engagement projects, hosted by three distinct for artists and arts organisations who arts organisations: the city-based multi- wish to develop their work with older disciplinary Cork Midsummer Festival; Music people through facilitating learning, Alive, a county-wide arts and mental health networking and knowledge exchange. organisation; and Sirius Arts Centre, an arts venue located in the heritage town of Cobh. Bealtaine Ambassadors Creative Enquiry - Arts and Older People In 2019 our Bealtaine ambassadors, was an initiative of two Cork based local composer Jane O’Leary, Choreographer Mary authorities, Cork City Council and Cork County Nunan and architect Cathal O’Neill continued Council arts offices in strategic partnership to represent and champion the festival. and the HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare-Cork South Community Work Department, and three independent partner arts organisations of which Age & Opportunity was one.

Evaluative Register is a research project exploring new modes of evaluation for socially engaged and collaborative arts practices. It is led by Create, the national organisation for collaborative arts in partnership with ourselves, IMMA, Fingal County Council Arts Office, and the Fire Station Artists’ Studios.

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Arts Programme Our Year in Numbers

Activity / event / workshop Number of Number of Number of initiatives events / participants workshops in each initiative

Bealtaine Festival Events curated by Age & Opportunity 1 54 4,154

Bealtaine Festival Events curated by National Partners 1 755 44,675

Total Bealtaine Festival 2 809 48,829

Development activities/events Audience development – Cultural Companions Dublin events* 1 60 660

The Bealtaine Gathering 1 1 100

Professional Development Workshop for artists and PRIME (including prime showcase) 1 2 100

Dance Development Initiative 1 1 50

Public Writing Workshops 1 1 30

Artist in Residence in a Care Setting 6 166 119 residents 21 staff

Artist in Residence in a Care Setting – external attendees at public events 1 3 45

Visual Arts Residency (Cowhouse) 1 1 25

Cultural Companions Toolkit day 1 2 7

Cultural Companions Recruitment / Welcome day 1 2 20

Total Development activities / events 15 239 1,117

TOTAL Arts Programme 17 1,048 50,006

*This figure does not include events in the Cultural Companions regional network.

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Creative Exchanges Ageing with Confidence for Age & Opportunity In 2019 we continued to deliver our Creative Intellectual Disability Exchanges initiative, which is designed to One of the really welcome improvements develop the skills of staff and volunteers over the past couple of decades is the working in residential and daycare settings increased longevity of adults living with and enable them to deliver meaningful Intellectual Disability. With colleagues in our engage arts-based activities which contribute to the Active Programme we have been partnering quality of life of persons receiving this care. with the TCD Centre for Intellectual Disability, and we were fortunate to receive funding Creative Exchanges is a QQI accredited minor from the Community Foundation Ireland to award (level 6). It is facilitated by our Engage develop and test a new programme for adults programme team and is delivered by a panel living with Intellectual Disability inspired of experienced and skilled arts facilitators by our Ageing with Confidence course. We What we want to see for over seven one-day sessions, usually over plan to deliver Ageing with Confidence for an eight-week period. older people Intellectual Disability from April 2020. We have consistently received positive Changing Gears – promoting An Ireland where all older people are more active; more visible; feedback from external evaluators on the resilience in later life more creative; more connected; more often. quality of the materials presented and, indeed, the quality of learners’ work. The In last year’s Annual Report, we described Age & Opportunity Engage is a programme which offers a range of learning initiatives, majority of these learners work in care the process in which we had developed courses and workshops for our own personal development as well as opportunities settings and therefore have the capacity to our Changing Gears initiative to promote make positive contributions to the quality of for us to play an active role in our community. Our aim is to facilitate participants to resilience in later life, which was funded life of residents and day care users. develop resilience, build the skills, know-how and the foresight to achieve the best as part of the Transitions in Later Life by quality of life.

Why We Run Our Engage Programme

Lifelong learning results in a range of positive outcomes including improvements to a sense of connectedness and quality of life and wellbeing. It helps us to broaden our social contacts and networks and facilitates the acquisition of new skills enabling one to retrain, adjust to new challenges, take on work or play a more active role in the community.

Active Citizenship can take many forms and we are conscious of the huge amount of civic engagement undertaken by older people every day in Ireland. We see our role as facilitating this process when needed and supporting the development of community initiatives. A key example of this is the Age Friendly Ireland Programme whereby every county in Ireland has developed its own age friendly policy and has put in place structures like Age Friendly Alliances and Older Persons Councils. We have supported this process over many years through our Get Engaged initiative and previously our Get Vocal initiative.

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the Gulbenkian Foundation (UK). The and the people I met at it gave me the Our focus largely has been on the grass- programme was externally evaluated by the confidence to do that. [I was looking for] roots initiatives in this national programme, Centre for Ageing Better (UK), a partner of the a new challenge, just kind of feeling that which is led by Age Friendly Ireland, hosted Gulbenkian Foundation (UK) who had funded I was in a bit of a rut, the same thing for by Meath County Council. We have worked us over three years to develop, pilot and test 13 years and I had more to give still”. with many counties, in partnership with the initiative. their respective Age Friendly Programme “Well, I suppose the difference is I’m more Managers. Sometimes this work takes the directed now as to what I need to do to The Centre for Ageing Better published the form of specific training and at other times prepare, and as I said I’ve already started evaluation “Navigating Later Life Transitions: we deliver other interventions such as that, you know, and they’re not even, an evaluation of emotional and psychological facilitating group work sessions and planning they’re not related to work, they’re related interventions”. The evaluation explored the and review of progress. impact of our Changing Gears initiative and to outside work, you know. Things I need the Working Longer and Living Life to the Full to do to prepare to keep my days busy, you There are also times when we work initiative developed and delivered by another know, when I am retired that you know I’m with community groups over a period Transitions in Later Life grantee, the Cheshire not going to be one of these people that’s of weeks supporting them to identify and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. kind of bored or you know sorry I retired the issues they want to address and we or whatever. So, it’s a really huge We hope to demonstrate the value of provide a degree of capacity building The evaluation was very positive difference in that I’ve started to focus Changing Gears as a tool to promote both through Touchstone or Get Engaged. about the impact of both initiatives; me on making changes...” resilience and greater management of below are some testimonies from serious health conditions; facilitating a better Another key area of public policy we During 2019 we applied to the Sláintecare Changing Gears participants: sense of personal agency and self-care, seek to both support and influence is the Integration Fund to deliver Changing Gears as resulting in better quality of life. development of an implementation plan “It’s made me very positive, very a resource to older persons living with serious for the National Positive Ageing Strategy. optimistic, very empowered and excited, health conditions. Our objective is to facilitate Art, Literature and Spirituality Of crucial importance for us is that the oh give me a thesaurus I tell you, I can’t participants in managing their health. plan recognises the need to identify think of enough! It was fabulous, best In 2019 we incorporated Art, Literature & and challenge the effects of ageism at There was a high volume of applications for course in the last 10 years”. Spirituality into our Engage work, offering five the personal and societal level. Ageism the Sláintecare Integration Fund, out of which short inputs (as part of a summer school for “[The course] just gave me the confidence is still prevalent in Irish society and our 123 were successful including 30 NGOs and Waterford Institute of Technology in Milltown to go and apply for another job and I think AgeWise workshop looks at the impact of we were delighted to be one of them. We Park, Dublin) and a two-day workshop certainly I wouldn’t have done that prior to ageism on employment as a key indicator ended 2019 with a great sense of optimism (in Mount St. Anne’s, Portarlington). The the course, prior to both the course itself of its pernicious effect in Irish society. for the development of this work. objective was to explore the value of the arts and spirituality for positive ageing and Ageism is not like homophobia, transphobia health and wellbeing. This new aspect to our or racism that are often experienced as programme is in recognition of the interest hate crimes; it is more subtle but also more expressed by older persons in the interface widespread. It is still one of the culturally between art, literature and spirituality. We acceptable forms of so-called humour, hope to continue this offering in 2020. in which older people are mocked and denigrated and through which ageing is Influencing Public Policy portrayed as a period of loss of hearing, eyesight, sexuality, mobility, usefulness, We recognise that there are various avenues independence and dignity. to influencing public policy and one of our key areas of work has been our Get Engaged It is in all of our interests to challenge this as initiative through which we seek to support an investment for our futures and those of the continued development of the Age younger generations. Friendly Ireland Programme.

34 35 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019

National Partnerships and invited MEP candidates to hear the concerns of older people in Ireland. We have always sought to work in partnership The hustings were well attended by Engage Programme and collaboration with organisations, from prospective candidates and indeed older statutory, to private and to the community people, and we received positive feedback and voluntary sector. We recognise that from the older people who took part. Our Year in Numbers we are usually better and stronger than the sum of our parts and that older We were particularly aware of a developing people can only benefit when we work anti-migrant narrative around the time of together as partners for the sake of a the election campaign, and it was a timely Initiatives Number of Number of Number of better and more inclusive Ireland. reminder that we need to do more to ensure initiatives workshops in participants that migrants, including older migrants, each initiative During 2019 Age & Opportunity and ALONE are supported in integrating and made feel agreed to work more closely together in HSE welcome in Ireland. CHO 9. This partnership will hopefully result Ageing with Confidence 2 8 35 in better outcomes for older people. With this in mind we applied to the Europe for Citizens programme to deliver a train Ageing with Confidence for 1 2 19 Intellectual Disability We have also had the privilege of working the trainer initiative, Get Engaged for with Trinity College Dublin in a number of Europe, promoting active citizenship among projects including the college PPI Ignite older people with an emphasis on older AgeWise 6 6 117 programme where we seek to develop the migrants. We were notified in January that role of older people and other citizens in the our application was successful. Our partner Creative Exchange 2 14 29 development of research programmes. organisations are 50+ Italy, Bulgarian Red (7 day QQI programme) Cross and Golden Days Netherlands. We will We have also partnered with the Centre for offer the train the trainer to a number of Touchstone 2 16 35 Intellectual Disability as mentioned above migrant groups here in Ireland as well. and we hope to continue this work. Changing Gears 1 6 10 We participated in three other EU funded The delivery of our Sláintecare Integration programmes, one of which will continue into Fund Changing Gears initiative also depends Hustings events with MEPs 3 3 105 2020. The opportunity for working with Irish on partnerships with healthcare and in advance of the and EU partners in EU-funded programmes European election community-based services; towards the end strengthens our expertise in developing new of 2019 we commenced partnership working initiatives for Irish society as we age. with the Mater Hospital and other HSE- Literature and Spirituality 2 7 52 funded services. We also participated in an EU workshop Older Persons Consultation 2 2 48 on challenging ageism. The workshop was European Projects developed and delivered by AGE Platform TOTAL Engage Programme 21 65 450 During 2013/2014 we were one of the and Equinet, the EU body for equality bodies Irish partners in the “Active Senior Citizens in member states. We hope to develop for Europe” project which supported civil this work with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) during 2020. This was a commissioned facilitation of a consultation on issues facing older people in the east of the country. society organisations and older people This was a commissioned consultation on the Age Friendly Programme. to participate in the EU elections in the run-up to the last European Parliament. In 2019 we organised hustings in each of the three EU constituencies in Ireland

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more active, more visible, more creative and During 2019 we also made successful more connected more often. These include applications to the Sláintecare Integration Corporate and the following collaborations: Fund, Europe for Citizens and EIT Health projects which will be carried out in 2020. Move for Life: Led by University of Limerick to design a Community Intervention to We were also an active contributor to many Public Affairs increase Physical Activity Levels in Adults stakeholder fora throughout the year and Over 50 Years of Age in Ireland. This research also sought out many opportunities for award was co-funded by the HSE Health and action and awareness raising and ensuring Wellbeing and The Atlantic Philanthropies greater visibility and consideration of and the research team includes the University older people and promoting the priorities z More active, visible, creative, Policy, Research and Evaluation of Limerick, the National University of Ireland identified above. Stakeholders, working connected older people in groups and alliances we engaged with during Our Policy, Research and Evaluation work Galway, Limerick and Clare Local Sports care settings; the year include: underpins and supports our Arts, Active and Partnerships, Limerick City and County Engage programmes through: z Meaningful partnerships with older Council, Healthy Limerick and the Health z Get Ireland Cycling Stakeholder people; Services Executive. The study commenced in Consultation; z Configuring the development of January 2018 and was completed at the end z Raise consciousness of and challenge robust evaluation models which allow of September 2019. z the Alliance of Age Sector NGOs us to measure and report on the ageism, particularly ageist language z the Homecare Coalition impact of our programmes and the and imagery. Moveage-Act: An EIT funded consortium (pre-budget submission); social return on investment that we including the School of Nursing & midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, are providing; Age & Opportunity traces its origins to a z Institute of Public Health All Ireland Université Grenoble Alpes, eSeniors and survey carried out in 1986 by the National Physical Activity and Ageing Group z Configuring the work of Age & Opportunity seeking to develop and Council on Ageing and Older People into (AIPAAG); Age & Opportunity in research the attitudes of younger people to ageing. implement educational and informative frameworks to highlight our The results of the survey, conducted among activities that target behavioural z Health Research Board funded effectiveness and our capacity to young people at the end of their second- change around physical activity. Irish Physical Activity Research support public policy development; level education, convinced the Council Collaboration (I-PARC) Practitioner Institute of Public Health All Ireland that it was time to take action to promote Advisory Group; z Increasing our sustainability and more positive attitudes to ageing and older Physical Activity and Ageing Group impact by making best use of the z Healthy Ireland; people. During 2019 we began a project (AIPAAG): We are a member of this North/ organisational experience, insight South research, policy and practice to repeat this survey and commissioned a z Global Brain Health Institute, and evidence to influence how policy knowledge exchange group on the theme review of policy over the last 30 years as a Trinity College Dublin; is created from international to local starting point. The project will be completed of physical activity and ageing comprised levels and how it is implemented in in 2021 and will contribute to our aim to of academics, practitioners and public z Campus Engage / Public Patient practice in older people’s lives. build social solidarity across generations servants across the island of the Ireland. Involvement PPI Ignite; in order to better combat different kinds of We initiated partnerships and speaking z IDS TILDA and the Trinity Centre for During 2019 we undertook a collaborative ageism. opportunities with UCD’s Framing Ageing Ageing and Intellectual Disability; process with all staff and our Policy, Research In addition to challenging ageist language, Initiative and TCD’s Global Brain Health and Evaluation Advisory Group to identify z Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland; three policy priorities which would reflect our conduct, stereotypes and attitudes and Institute and participated in Campus Engage strategic aims, underpin our programmes of through our Active, Arts and Engage activities led by TCD, DCU and the Irish z National Positive Ageing Strategy work and our engagement with all external programmes in 2019, we also contributed Research Council. Stakeholders’ Forum; stakeholders. The priorities were identified to research projects that aim to enhance z National Social Prescribing and agreed as follows: the experiences of ageing and progress our Conference; vision of a country where older people are

38 39 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019 Age & Opportunity Annual Report 2019

z HSE Healthy Eating and Active workshops and a standard evaluation process Throughout 2019 we have continued to build the mutually beneficial relationship Living Initiative; including the high level indicators was on our profile across print, broadcast and between the core brand, sub brands developed for application throughout the online media as the voice of positive ageing and initiatives while allowing us flexibility to z Sláintecare Integration Fund organisation in 2020. in Ireland. We ensured the positive side of create new initiatives under the three main Stakeholders’ Groups. ageing was highlighted with good coverage programme areas: Communications of Bealtaine RTE and regional print and In 2019, our Bealtaine Evaluation was carried broadcast media. z Age & Opportunity Active out building on the framework commissioned Communications activity is core to the z Age & Opportunity Arts in 2018. This project evaluation was an operation of the organisation and underpins We also engaged in a media partnership with all four key strategic themes in our Strategic opportunity to test the survey implementation The Irish Times for the Bealtaine Festival and z Age & Opportunity Engage methods and the high level indicators as a Plan (2018-2020) by: this was one of the factors contributing to us step to more coordinated data collection and reaching new audiences and increasing the z building understanding and reporting. A comprehensive report served visitors to the Festival website Bealtaine.ie. Improving our understanding of the awareness of our work, to engage and as evidence of impact to support our Arts needs and views of older people grow support for our services; programme and inform stakeholders. Brand Refresh The focus of our Strategic Plan 2018-2020 is z creating opportunities for Participation at the Irish Physical Activity Age & Opportunity has multiple and diverse on continuing to improve our understanding conversations which empower older Collaboration (I-PARC) symposium provided audiences and in engaging with them we of the needs and views of older people, people to advocate for measures, considerable learning and networking have developed a large number of different and building our communication and policies and services to support opportunities to further both our policy offerings or initiatives in our three core areas feedback processes with them. We continue positive ageing; priorities among other stakeholders and also of arts and culture, sport and physical activity, to work to provide and develop critical civic engagement and lifelong learning. programmes and initiatives addressing the to inform our own plans for a standardised z developing our dialogue with ever-growing challenges and opportunities evaluation framework. stakeholders by generating feedback Following our strategic brand audit and presented by ageing. We communicate with across all of our programmes through Our Active programme team and the Policy review, we took the opportunity to refresh the our stakeholders across many channels implementation and development of Research and Evaluation Manager met the Age & Opportunity logos and visual identity to and touchpoints and our website is a growing our database; Evaluation Team in Sport Ireland in May to ensure that our brand personality reflects our area for those who want to find out more new strategy, mission, vision and values. plan for a comprehensive evaluation of our z building awareness and about us, and access a programme which Active programme. may benefit them or someone they know. understanding of the experience and We chose to move to the use of stronger As this technology changes we continually preferences of older people among colours, with a more dynamic and abstract During 2019 we progressed plans for review our site, the content, visited pages and policy makers; visual identifier symbol accompanying the a standardised evaluation framework. seek to improve and build on the information existing typographic element with the words We identified high level indicators to be z creating messages to motivate our provided and the most user friendly Age & Opportunity. We hope that the use included in all evaluations. These stem audiences and position ourselves in and accessible way to present it. of strong colours and a refresh of the brand directly from our vision and are to measure order to achieve the change we want will help to act as a compliment to shift whether we achieve the outcomes of older to see in terms of attitudes and public With our brand refreshment we also audiences’ perceptions of the organisation, people being more active, visible, creative, policies on ageing; undertook a redesign of our website in and of groups representing older people, connected and confident as a result of order to: engagement with our programmes. z celebrating and profiling diverse which is directly linked to our strategic aims. stories of ageing. z Customise functionality to simplify the Organisational capacity was raised to Our new brand hierarchy was designed process of finding a programme or to help us to structure the way in which configure all of our work in research All these activities are crucial in terms of our initiative that suits you (whoever the organisation presents its activities in frameworks with the Senior Management engagement with and reporting to funders, you may be - individual, care setting, a coherent way to the outside world, and Team empowered to create logic models and partners and all our stakeholders which employer, community group); to our partners in particular. It expresses evaluation plans. For the first time, baseline in turn increases the sustainability and data was collected before beginning specific continued existence of the organisation.

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z Expand storytelling content to build CRM System The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs represents The work of the Alliance is supported by a engagement and achieve our key high level engagement of eight key national Public Affairs Committee, comprised of the In 2019 we continued the phased objective of profiling positive and NGOs working strategically to inform and policy and communications staff in each of implementation of our Customer challenging stories of ageing; influence policy to help shape the national the member organisations, to ensure that Relationship Management (CRM) system. agenda around ageing, particularly in relation the work of the Alliance is informed by best z Create a bold and dynamic design The CRM (Customer Relationship to the implementation of the National Positive practice, and also to strengthen the combined update to better match our new Management) system will work across the Ageing Strategy. Each of the members of the voice of the Alliance. brand assets; organisation and all departments and to help Alliance brings a wealth of insight, knowledge give us a better picture of how, and where, and experience to the table, informed through z Refine our website architecture our programmes are being used by older our engagement with older people. For Age & to provide a more cohesive and people, and to use the feedback we receive to Opportunity, our membership of the Alliance user-friendly experience. continue to develop pioneering programmes of Age Sector NGOs helps us to achieve our that meet the evolving needs of those 50+. vision of an Ireland where all older people are Our website design work included: more active; more visible; more creative; more Digital Communications connected; more often. z Website architecture strategy; In 2019 we continued to develop our digital The funding which drove Active Ageing z Modern, responsive website design; communications, raising issues concerning Partnership originally and then the Alliance contemporary ageing and ensuring older came from the Atlantic Philanthropies, and z Web development people are visible and their voices heard in further funding has been secured from the (HTML and CSS build); today’s crowded media environment. Community Foundation for Ireland. z Content editing; The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs has z Integration with our Salesforce Our original Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, established a robust infrastructure and has CRM system; Active Ageing Partnership, which was a enhanced support systems amongst the collaboration of Active Retirement Ireland, eight organisations. It has developed strong z Content management system training. Age & Opportunity and Third Age Ireland from charismatic leaders to drive the sector forward 2013 to 2017, has now grown and expanded and to win support in key areas. Our new website was launched in June 2019, into the alliance of age sector NGOs. It is ambitious and has built and expanded and we will continue to monitor and view its capacity and skills in a number of key analytics in order to see what is working and This Alliance brings together the main areas such as communications, change what content our users want to see more of. NGOs making a difference for older people management, policy formulation, media Our statistics for our new Age & Opportunity in Ireland: Age & Opportunity, Active and PR, organising and building grassroots website from when it was launched in June to Retirement Ireland, Age Action, Alone, engagement, networking, relationship year end are: the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Irish management, advocacy, etc. It has structures Hospice Foundation, the Irish Senior Citizens’ and protocols in place to ensure effective z Users 14,264 Parliament, and Third Age. collaboration and complementarity between organisations and avoids unnecessary z Total pageviews of website 45,101 The Alliance membership is comprised duplication. It allows NGOs to focus on their of the CEOs of each of the NGOs listed principal areas of interest while still coming z Average time on pages above, and is co-ordinated by Maurice together to pool resources and co-ordinate 1 minute 36 seconds O’Connell, previous co-ordinator of Active work on key policy issues. Ageing Partnership. Age & Opportunity z Most visited page was the Homepage was the fiscal agent for Active Ageing Partnership, and we continue that function for the Alliance of Age Sector NGOs also.

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Board, Committees and Governance Advisory Groups and Structure Board Team. The Committee may investigate any matter falling within its terms of reference, Our Trustees are: calling on whatever resources (including budgets and management accounts for Governance z Ita Mangan (Chair) outside professional advice) and information consideration and approval to the Board. necessary to do so. Age & Opportunity is governed by a There is a schedule of matters reserved z Sarah Bowman Constitution. to the Board for decision and a schedule Its members are: z Mairead Egan of matters delegated to the CEO. Our Board and CEO are committed to z Mary Kelly (Chair) z Josephine Feehily maintaining the highest standards of We held six Board Meetings in 2019. We also (joined on 13th January 2020) z Claire Kelly corporate governance. Trustees, all of who held six meetings of the Finance, Governance, are non-executive and independent, are HR, Quality and Safety Committee and three z Fionnuala Hanrahan z Ita Mangan drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring meetings of the Audit Committee. (resigned on 20th May 2019) a broad range of experience and skills to the Board’s deliberations. We are fully compliant with the Charities z Claire Kelly Audit Committee Regulatory Authority’s Governance Code and The primary responsibility of this There are clear distinctions between the roles z Mary Kelly ‘The Governance Code: A Code of Practice for Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling of the Board and the executive management Good Governance of Community, Voluntary z Catherine Marshall its responsibilities for ensuring proper team. The Board is responsible for providing and Charitable Organisations in Ireland’ as a accounting, financial reporting, proper leadership, setting overall strategy and z Paul Murray Type C organisation, and our various funders’ internal controls and procedures in the monitoring budgets and outcomes of the governance requirements. z Tony McCarthy organisation. The Committee carries out organisation. The Board is also responsible its responsibilities mainly through regular for identifying the risks affecting the A range of significant risks facing z Helen O’ Donoghue contact with the CEO and Financial Controller organisation and ensuring procedures are in Age & Opportunity have been identified. and the external auditors. place to reduce and manage the major risks These risks are detailed in our formal identified. The Board is committed to working Risk Register. We continued, at our Audit Board Committees The Committee is responsible for effectively, behaving with integrity and being Committee meetings, Finance, Governance, Finance, Governance, HR, Quality and Safety recommending the appointment of auditors transparent and accountable. There are HR, Quality and Safety Committee meetings Committee in bold the same as Board for approval by the Board. currently 10 Trustees. The Trustees bring to and Board meetings throughout 2019 to Committees the Board their significant policy, financial, evaluate these risks and will ensure that Its members are: business and decision-making skills gained in all actions and initiatives undertaken The primary responsibility of this z Catherine Rogers (Independent Chair) their respective fields together with a broad manage these challenges proactively, with Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling range of experience and views. risk mitigation actions being identified and its responsibilities for ensuring proper z Ita Mangan implemented without delay, so that our accounting and corporate governance The day to day management is delegated mandate to our participants can be pursued procedures in the organisation. The z Tony McCarthy to the CEO. The CEO leads the Senior and effectively delivered. Committee carries out its responsibilities Management Team in implementing mainly through regular contact with the our vision, mission and strategic plan, CEO, the Financial Controller and with and prepares and presents policies, other members of the Senior Management business plans and annual financial

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Board meetings Organisational Advisory Groups Arts Programme Advisory Group

z Catherine Marshall, (Chair) Trustee: 11/02/19 25/03/19 20/05/19 15/07/19 21/10/19 02/12/19 Attendance We have four organisational Advisory Groups. Age & Opportunity Trustee and Ita Mangan (Chair)       6/6 They are comprised of a wide range of Curator and Art Historian Sarah Bowman     X  5/6 stakeholders with an interest in encouraging z Lorraine Comer, Head of Education, the active participation of older people Mairead Egan  X   X  4/6 in sport and physical activity, arts, civic National Museum of Ireland Fionnuala Hanrahan   n/a n/a n/a n/a 2/2 engagement, and policy, research and z Ailbhe Murphy, Director, Create evaluation. Their role is to provide Mary Kelly       6/6 expert advice on our strategic themes z Helen O’Donoghue, Senior Curator & Head of Education & Community Catherine Marshall    X   5/6 and objectives, guidance on innovative approaches to encouraging participation Programmes, Irish Museum of Tony McCarthy       6/6 of older people in our programme areas, Modern Art Paul Murray       6/6 guidance on innovative approaches to encouraging participation of younger older Engage Programme Advisory Group Helen O’Donoghue X    n/a* n/a* 4/4 people (from 50+) and marginalised older z Fionnuala Hanrahan, (Chair) Claire Kelly  X    X 4/6 people in our programme areas, guidance and support in the further development of Age & Opportunity Trustee partnerships, guidance and advice regarding (until 20th May 2019) and Retired European funded projects, funding and County Librarian sustainability generally and guidance on Finance, Governance, HR, Quality and Safety Committee Meetings z Mairead Egan, Chair (from 20th May action based research opportunities and 2019), Age & Opportunity Trustee and Trustee: 28/01/19 11/03/19 29/04/19 01/07/19 15/18/19 07/10/19 Attendance health and wellbeing. Retired School Principal Ita Mangan  X X X   3/6 Active Programme Advisory Group z Sarah Bowman, Age & Opportunity Mary Kelly (Chair)       6/6 Trustee and Director of Strategic z Claire Kelly       6/6 Robert Grier (Chair) Engagement for the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability, z Tony McCarthy, Age & Opportunity and Director of the Health Research Trustee, Physical Activity Leader Board – Irish Research Council IGNITE Audit Committee Meetings z John Kerrane, Former Lecturer in Programme at Trinity College, Dublin the School of Health and Human Member: 29/04/19 19/08/19 18/11/19 Attendance z Colm Kilgannon, Lecturer and Strand Performance, DCU Ita Mangan    3/3 Leader, ALBA Programme, DCU - z Michelle Hardie Murphy, Health All Hallows Campus Catherine Rogers (Chair)    3/3 Promotion, Health Service Executive Tony McCarthy    3/3 z Emma Jane Clarke, Partnerships & Governance Manager, Sport Ireland

z Professor Liam Glynn, Professor of General Practice, Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick

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Policy, Research and Evaluation z Lasarine O’Carroll Advisory Group Financial Controller

z Fionnuala Hanrahan z Margaret Roe (Chair) and Retired County Librarian Office and HR Manager

z Dr. Austin Warters Arts Programme team Manager of Older Persons Services, HSE CHO 9 z Dr. Tara Byrne Arts Programme Manager z Sarah Bowman Age & Opportunity Trustee and z Bridget Deevy Director of Strategic Engagement Arts Programme Assistant Manager for the Trinity Centre of Ageing and z Intellectual Disability, and Director Kim Chew of the Health Research Board – Irish Arts Programme Administrator Research Council IGNITE Programme (until January 2020) at Trinity College, Dublin z Eva Griffin Arts Programme Administrator z Dr. Jane O’Kelly Chair BSc in Education and Training, (from March 2020) Assistant Professor School of Policy and Practice Institute of Education, Active Programme team

DCU St. Patrick’s Campus z Sue Guildea Active Programme Manager

Staff Members: z Paul Gallier Active Programme Assistant Manager z Karen Horgan (from January 2019) CEO z Ciara Dawson Operations and Programme Support Active Programme Administrator

z Melissa Byrne Engage Programme Team Communications Manager (from January 2020) z Ciarán McKinney Engage Programme Manager z Anne Carroll Communications Assistant z Brian Dooney Engage Programme Training z Nollaig Fahy and Development Facilitator Funding and Sponsorship Manager z Fiona Holohan z Mary Harkin Engage Programme Co-ordinator Policy, Research and Evaluation Manager

z Anne Kearney Communications Manager (until December 2019) 48 Marino Institute of Education Griffith Avenue, Dublin, D09K4P6 Ireland t +353 (0)1 8057709 e [email protected] www.ageandopportunity.ie

A company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital. Registered in Ireland No: 284318. Charity No: CHY 12365. Registered Charity No: RCN 20036010.

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