2018 Winners
Outstanding program/project – grant based (funded by an external grant) program or project – Latrobe City Council, Connecting Seniors Project
During community consultation for its Positive Ageing Strategy/Action Plan 2017-2021, Latrobe Council discovered that many older members of their community had tried to access social groups but had felt unwelcome.
Fearing these people would become socially isolated, Council established a Welcoming & Age Friendly Program Advisory Committee which had face to face meetings with more than 50 community groups to learn what makes a club welcoming and age friendly.
Once the this was determined Council developed a training program for local clubs wanting to become accredited Welcoming & Age Friendly Clubs. To date, 28 clubs and groups have gained accreditation, with another 32 waiting on the next training session.
Outstanding program/project – non grant based (funded and resourced by a Council) program or project – Maroondah City Council, Pathways for Carers
Maroondah Council’s Pathway for Carers is a program that offers carers an opportunity to connect with other carers, local service providers, Council staff and guest walkers in a relaxing and supportive environment.
Participants can walk through nature and enjoy a coffee together in a cafe afterwards. The environment established by Pathway for Carers enables carers to have a deeper connection, share key learnings and understanding in addition to providing exercise.
Pathways for Carers enhances mental health and physical wellbeing combining walking and talking. The walking component allows for discussion and the opportunity to be completely heard as there are no distractions. This provides a platform for carers to establish supporting networks and to access much needed support services.