Noosa Shire Council is part of a new State Government initiative helping communities become more age-friendly for older residents, by celebrating the contribution that seniors make across the State.
The council is one of seven across south-east, north-west and central Queensland who have received a receive a total of $300,000 in Community Development Grants, which will go towards ensuring Queensland seniors are connected with their communities.
The Noosa Shire Council received $45,000 for the delivery of ten interactive sessions connecting older people with young people across the Shire, partnering with local organisations and groups to foster intergenerational connections and social participation.
Down the road, Redland City Council also received $45,000 for the delivery of a partnership project with Council libraries and local organisations to develop and trial a series of interactive pilot programs. The finalised program will be delivered in library branches across the City.
The other funded councils include:
• Brisbane City Council: $50,000 for the delivery of co-designed community projects incorporating five geographical based Seniors cafes to explore what age-friendly Brisbane looks like from the perspective of older residents and local organisations in Brisbane City.
• Bundaberg Regional Council: $29,680 to undertake an assessment of age-friendliness that will focus on ways to improve the quality of life of older people across the World Health Organisation’s eight age-friendly domains of age-friendly communities.
• Burke Shire Council: $35,000 for the delivery of a co-designed project to address the social isolation of older people in the Burke Shire, providing opportunities for local organisations to come together regularly to increase participation, foster knowledge sharing and build new skills.
• Flinders Shire Council: $30,000 for the delivery of a two part project, including an intergenerational project to connect older people with young people, and a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce to install doorbells at local business premises to improve accessibility within the main township of Hughenden and develop an accessibility map.
• Somerset Regional Council: $42,200 for the delivery of a project to address attitudinal and behaviour change towards older people with cognitive decline through the development of a children’s storybook. The storyline will be created in collaboration with primary school children, a local children’s artist and older people.
Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services Amanda Camm said the government was committed to building an age-friendly state.
“We want to see a state where seniors lead healthy and productive lives, are connected to their community and cared for when support is required,” Minister Camm said.
“It’s wonderful to see local governments designing activities that ensure the voices of older people shape the communities they live in.
“Age-friendly communities are not just great for older people – they’re great for everyone.
“From our first days in office, this government committed to ensuring our policies, programs and services are age-friendly and inclusive.
“I am delighted to know these local initiatives will contribute to that vision.”
