Social work students helping to set up forum for older people in community
19 March 2013
Social work and Applied Social Studies students are working with the Bath & North East Somerset branch of charity Age UK to set up a new, independent forum for older people.
Alice Williams, Julie Eagles and Danielle Allen will be meeting older people at St Michael’s Day Centre in Bath to ask them about the most important issues they face.
The ultimate aim is to set up a forum that will provide an opportunity for older people to get their voice heard across the area.
Age UK B&NES chief executive Janet Dabbs said: “We’re delighted that University of Bath students have come on board to help us research this project. We believe that an independent forum for older people would be really valuable for us at Age UK B&NES and for other local organisations too. We really need to know how older people want to be engaged with – whether they would like regular meetings across the area, or perhaps written or emailed communications.
“It is increasingly important that older people have a voice and can challenge decisions made about their care and that of others and also contribute to the county’s older people’s strategy. A forum would provide a way of finding out what older people think about local services, and of coming up with new ideas about how we can work together as a community to improve things.”
Alice Williams, one of the students involved, said: “We’re all very excited to be working on this project with Age UK B&NES and we can see potential in what a forum could give to individuals and the community as a whole. Through working on this project, we’ve gained a greater understanding of the importance of ensuring older people’s voices are heard.”
Age UK B&NES is a local charity that supports around 12,000 older people, their families and carers every year, with essential services. It has a small team of staff and around 150 volunteers who assist with a variety of tasks including day care and lunch club provision and home from hospital services.
The charity is always looking for more support, funding as well as volunteers. To support the charity call 01225 466135, email admin@ageukbanes.co.uk or visit the website.
