Why?
The key aim of the Valuing Older People Cultural Offer Working Group is to improve the quality of life of Manchester’s older people.
Whilst there were already good engagement programmes delivered through dedicated education, outreach and audience development staff, the Group was convened in recognition of the fact that these were often not effectively targeted at older people or directed at the wards in Manchester where uptake of cultural opportunities was least likely. We also agreed that there was a lack of coordination and collaboration and there was the potential to develop a more strategic commitment and direction for this area of work.
Manchester’s Best Value Residents Survey 2006 reported low usage of the city’s cultural facilities by the over 65s. Only 11% of over 65s had used theatres/ concert halls, and 10% of over 65s had used the museums/galleries in the last month, (compared to 20% of all respondents). Usage varied significantly from ward to ward and was significantly lower in the wards with high levels of pensioner poverty.
By breaking down the barriers that older people might face accessing cultural activities for the first time, older people will be helped to develop new skills, meet new people and as a result increase their self confidence. This will encourage them to access further creative programmes which will subsequently improve their mental and social well being.
By whom?
The original group was convened by the Library Theatre Company Community and Education programme and Valuing Older People (VOP). The Valuing Older People partnership was established in 2004 to improve quality of life for older people in Manchester and since its inception has put older people at the heart of its plans. The VOP partnership involves a number of different services, organisations, voluntary sector agencies and, most importantly, older Manchester residents. The VOP Board - a board of older residents that oversee the city’s plans - was instrumental in developing this approach. The VOPCO Working Group supports the ambitious plans set out in the new Manchester Ageing Strategy, “Manchester: A Great Place to Grow Older” 2010-2020. And we are vital partners in the delivery of the strategic objective of “increasing older people’s participation in cultural and learning activities”.
How has this initiative reached its current position?
In order to better inform our approach, in late 2008 the VOPCO Working Group undertook a six-month study, ‘Towards a Cultural Offer for Older People’. For the first time, the study mapped existing provision in one place and consulted extensively with older people from a range of neighbourhoods. The consultants undertaking the study also talked to older people’s organisations and the senior management of relevant arts and heritage organisations.
The study delivered a clearer picture of the barriers or perceived barriers to older people accessing cultural opportunities. It culminated in the launch of a Cultural Offer for Older People in July 2009, which saw all VOPCO Working Group partners commit to work together to improve access in front of an audience of older Mancunians.. The consultants also developed a series of recommendations, which now inform the work of the Working Group.
The VOPCO Working Group has subsequently been working to deliver the recommendations from the study and to implement the ‘offer’. We intend to coordinate our education and outreach programmes, look at information provision and shared marketing and address some of the barriers to accessing cultural opportunities, as identified by older residents themselves.
We firmly recognise that creative expression has a positive overall impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing and are committed to a participative approach rather than merely a passive one. Our overarching aim is to provide the personal and societal benefits that we know can result from engagement and involvement in creative expression.
In order to provide older residents with ‘taster’ sessions and to encourage them to access some of the fantastic city centre offers, the VOPCO Working Group has provided a programme of outreach sessions during the city’s annual Full of Life Festival - the largest free celebration of ageing in the country. Now in its fifth year, the programme sees a series of musical and animation workshops, ‘touch and feel’ sessions, ‘art bites’ and drawing and painting sessions taken out into Manchester’s diverse communities. Activities either take place in a community group’s own venue from residential settings to church halls or are bespoke tours, talks or workshops in city centre venues There is a clear progression for people’s continuing involvement through ‘Friends of’ groups, art classes, bespoke projects and mainstream provision. For many, this has offered new opportunities and the growing numbers of participants accessing the Festival programme has led to the development of more older-people specific education programmes.
The Valuing Older People partnership brings an in depth knowledge of the city’s older people to the Consortium. It has a wealth of evidence about levels of pensioner poverty, social isolation, ward profiles and health inequalities that help to inform our work.