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$150k to make Australian communities more age-friendly

on the Friday, July 29, 2016

Age-friendly advocacy body IRT Foundation has announced $150,000 in funding for 12 successful recipients of its Community Grants Program.

The Program, now in its second year, funds community groups and not-for-profit organisations to deliver practical solutions that create age-friendly communities. The projects funded will help ensure older Australians remain active and have opportunities to enjoy a better quality of life.

Acting IRT Group Chief Executive Rod Young said 12 projects would be funded across IRT’s geographic footprint in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla regions of NSW and in Canberra, Sydney and south-east Queensland.

"Addressing social isolation was a key theme for this year's applicants," he said.

"The association between social isolation and loneliness, and poorer mental health, physical health and earlier death is clear. Research shows lonely older people are 60% more likely to use emergency services and are twice as likely to be admitted to residential aged care.

"Many of the projects funded recognise the importance of increasing social participation by bringing seniors together in a social setting, teaching them new skills or assisting seniors to pass on their skills and knowledge to others."

The Community Grants Program is part of IRT Group's commitment to give back $20 million in community dividends by 2020.

"The projects were chosen as they demonstrate a clear benefit to the community and value for money, while supporting IRT Foundation’s goals and objectives," Mr Young said.

Last year's program invested $150,000 in 20 local initiatives and projects that have benefitted seniors in their communities.

"A great example was the Capturing Culture project - an initiative of the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation," he said. "The project fostered inter-generational inclusion by bringing children, youth and elders together to capture traditional stories and wisdom in creative art forms."

2016 IRT Foundation Community Grants

Kiama Council – Dementia Friendly Kiama Project (grant $20,000)

Making Kiama dementia friendly through intergenerational programs (play groups for pre-school children held in aged care facilities and Dementia and Music Program), working with local businesses to support the implementation of Dementia Business Action Plans, and development of Dementia Friendly Communities Resource Kit – which other communities can use to support their work in becoming dementia friendly.

Narooma Men's Shed – Tooling a metal workshop (grant $8520)

Providing metal work equipment and a safe working environment for members and the local community. Qualified metal worker to introduce and train men in the skills of sheet metal work, community use of the workshop will be offered.

Illawarra OWN (Older Women's Network ) Wellness Centre – No Worries (grant $1190)

Four workshops bringing older women together and introducing them to age appropriate physical exercise and mental stimulation including meditation sessions, therapeutic art and rediscovering the joy of chatting while knitting.

St Georges Basin Health & Community Transport Service Inc – Maz's Tours (grant $7008)

Monthly excursions where clients will be picked up from their home and taken on outings. Participants will enjoy sightseeing, Op Shop discoveries, morning tea and luncheons, movies and lunch, garden tours, singalong and quizzes

Wild Rumpus – Pass It On (grant $19,000)

Will work with older community members who are interested in passing on skills in cooking, craft, building, practical life skills and general knowledge by teaching a Wild Rumpus Skillshare workshop.

Buderim Men's Shed Inc. – An ICT Intervention to Alleviate Social Isolation Among Seniors (grant $4900)

Social isolation is being experienced by approximately 20% of BMS members aged between sixty and late eighties. Members will be coached to competently use email, Skype, social media and the internet to engage with family, friends, the wider community, government and other agencies.

CareSouth – Grandparents Program Pilot (grant $20,000)

Based on CareSouth's Aunties & Uncles program which has been running for over 20 years. Engaging older members of the community as volunteer mentors for children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds.

Cancer Council NSW – Connecting Communities Volunteer Expo (grant $15,393)

The expo will provide a one-stop shop for volunteers to explore new volunteer opportunities, develop new skills and get advice on how to get more out of their volunteering experience. Sessions on leadership, self-care, technology, training, advocacy, cancer preventions, as well as media and communications will be provided.

Pedal Power ACT Inc. – Cycling Without Age (grant $19,694)

Getting older people with limited mobility out and about on specialised electric assist ‘rickshaw’ bikes. Volunteers to take passengers out will be recruited and trained.

Macarthur Diversity Services Initiative Ltd – Use it, don't lose it (grant $12,140)

Activity program for older people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background in Campbelltown to improve their physical, mental and social quality of life. Ten facilitators will be trained to implement programs in their community group.

Suncoast Community Legal Service Inc – Piano Forte A Community Legal Education Theatre Project for Seniors (grant $5423)

Stage performances of the play Piano Forte, the play is a fictional narrative designed to raise awareness of elder abuse and the role and responsibilities of Enduring Powers of Attorney, to be performed in three locations across the Sunshine Coast region (Noosa, Nambour and Buderim).

Holdsworth Street Community Centre Woollahra Inc – Staying Connected (grant $18,300)

Support for people recently diagnosed with dementia to maintain and develop social networks in the community. Identifies the current connections people have with their community and supports the person to explain dementia and how it affects them to those connections (e.g. their local newsagent). 

For more information, go to www.irtfoundation.org.au.

Click here for more information about IRT Group's retirement communities.

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