Partners are learning about each other as a result of the context mapping and learning from each other as they develop services . They are sharing experiences of the challenges and successes in setting up services in their own region and discuss together how to build on success and overcome challenges.
The following outcomes have been achieved:
Work Package 1: Management, Coordination and Communication.
Partners meet on average twice a year. At the last Partner meeting in September, an international conference "The Future is Older" was held. As well as email and telephone communication between individual partner staff, regular teleconferences are held at different levels.
The project has developed tools which are being shared by the partner countries. This includes a community questionnaire which had been widely distributed and will allow for international comparison.
Work Package 2: Context Mapping.
The first and second context maps have been completed. The third context map template is focussing on social enterprise as a result of what has been learned from the first two maps. Context maps allow international comparison on a range of subjects which impact on the lives of older people in the peripheral areas of Northern Europe. These include comparison of regional and national policies, pension income comparison, and the nature and level of support for starting up new community based social enterprises.
Work Package 3: O4O Implementation.
In Highland, four communities are working on separate services for older people.
One community is developing a range of transport services for people in their remote rural community. Two services have been already been established; a lift sharing scheme and a community care scheme. Older people have increased access to medical and dental services and can be more socially and economically active as a result of the services.
The community in another remote and rural area are investigating ways to secure and improve future service provision and a models for delivering support to older people in rural areas when they are no longer able to stay in their own homes. They propose to develop a community care hub from which a range of social, specialist, and support services can be provided.
The community in South West Ross is developing a neighbourly helping services using volunteers from each township. By providing support with basic household tasks, such as changing a light bulb, the community will help to maintain the independent living of their older people.
In another village, a group of older people have undertaken an oral history project. They are interviewing other older people in the village about their early memories and what life was like when they were young. Interviews are filmed and the group will make DVDs using the footage. One introductory DVD has been produced already. The sense of place from the oral history project is part of a number of other community development initiatives in the village which hope to develop community assets to deliver services to their citizens.
In Northern Ireland communities are developing services in a post conflict context.
The community in Mid Ulster are running social events and creative activities in groups. They hope to develop their facilities to start a shop and a meal delivery services for housebound and frail elderly.
Widows whose husbands died in the conflict are working together in another community to improve their building with a view to developing catering services.
In rural seaboard towns, a community radio station is being developed. This will provide information and help to reduce isolation of the elderly people in the region.
In Sweden, a range of services are being implemented and developed.
Between 40 and 50 elderly people have begun a programme of IT education including bill paying and social networking. This will lead to improved access to information about local services and social activities.
A voluntary services is being developed by another community. A grocery delivery service is underway and a meeting place for information and social activities is being developed.
A 3 year plan involving a mix of intergenerational voluntary activities and the development of assets is the ambitious plan of another community. The project called a 'health gallery' will be based at a community run school where older people and school children will share resources and support each other.
In Finland, two villages are involved with O4O. The first village is developing a meeting place for elderly people while the second village is developing intergenerational activities. Students from the local University of Applied Science are working with local project staff to develop these services.
In Greenland, a large scale community needs assessment survey has been undertaken which will, for the first time, allow older people in some of the remotest communities in the world to give their views about what life is like for them and how it could be improved. Community fishing boats and social activities have been identified as possible services to develop.
Work Package 4: Toolkit.
Partners are working together to draw on the knowledge and experience of project staff and the communities they are working with. A framework for the toolkit has been developed and work is currently taking place to produce a draft version which will be tested prior to the end of the project. Partners will meet in Finland in January 2010 to work together on the Toolkit.
Work Package 5: Evaluation.
An evaluation ‘map’ has been drawn up to establish evaluation activity across the project. This will detail which common tools have been used and where partners can learn from regional and local practice. Surveys of 2,400 older people have been undertaken already but this process will continue throughout the project allowing for transnational comparison over the project period. The survey results are being analysed and findings will be reported.
Other evaluation work includes interviews and analysis of service costs.
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