Newsletter and IYOP Initiatives Australian Coalition '99

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES SMALL GRANTS ALLOCATION

Thirty-nine non-government organisations will share in $1 million in grants allocated by the Victorian Government and the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Older Persons 1999.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mr Rob Knowles, and the Chief Executive Officer of VicHealth, Dr Rob Moodie, have announced grants ranging from $800 to $40,000 to projects designed to respond to the needs and interests of older people in innovative ways and challenge common myths and stereotypes about ageing.

Funded activities for the International Year include:

• A project to promote a more positive image of people living in aged care homes and hostels.
• Positive ageing curriculum materials for Victorian schools.
• A project to improve the physical fitness of older Victorians by encouraging systemic change to the way the state's fitness and health industry caters for older people.
• A project designed to strengthen the position and status of aboriginal women elders and support their important role in their communities.
• A Positive Retirement for Men rural project using a 'men and their sheds' theme to create a more comfortable environment for men.
• A Cross Age Skills Exchange Project which will see older and younger members of the community running a gardening service together for the benefit of others.

  Mr Knowles announced the grants, part of the Victorian Government's $2.5 million commitment to the International Year of Older Persons, at CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies). CERES received a grant of $39,800 for their 'Wisdom of the Elders' Project which will establish dedicated programmes for older people, including a Garden of Wisdom.

  The hundreds of seniors attending the announcement were entertained by The Ageless Singers from the Crib Point Community House. The Community House received a grant of $17,827 to tour Victoria this year to encourage and inspire others to use singing as a way of opening up new lines of communication between older and younger people.

  The theme for the International Year is 'Towards A Society for All Ages' and activities focus on developing a new vision of ageing within the community and challenging the traditional expectations about what life holds for us as we grow older.

  Mr Knowles said one of the aims of the International Year was to help younger people understand that growing older was a natural part of living and that becoming 'old' was not a distinct event. "Every stage of life has its ups and downs and older age is no different. However, for most people, older age is a time of great satisfaction and fulfilment. The image and stereotypes of ageing being a time of withdrawal and increased dependency simply does not reflect how the majority of older people feel about themselves and about life," he said.

  Mr Knowles said the Victorian Government was working in partnership with Australian Coalition 99 Victoria, a coalition of more than 120 non-government organisations committed to the success of the International Year and was proving $250,000 over three years, to support its activities.

  A further $200,000 will be allocated to organisations for information technology projects of benefit to older people and a total of $80,000 for community safety projects to make neighbourhoods safer for older people.

  Mr Knowles said the Victorian Government would soon release its Positive Ageing Plan which will chart the course the Victorian Government will take to improve the well-being of current and future generations of older Victorians. The plan will detail other activities for the International Year of Older Persons 1999.

     Home Page   |    Search the Site   
     IYOP Info   |    Partners   |    How to Get Involved  |    Discussions    |    Sitemap    |    Publicity   
     Calendar   |    Newsletters   |    Logo Guidelines   |    Links   

  
  © Copyright Australian Coalition 99 & The United Nations