Age Friendly Recognition & Achievement Awards 2018/2019: Open for Applications

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Dublin City Council and the Dublin City Age Friendly Programme are kindly hosting this years National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards ceremony on 14th November 2019 in Dublin.

This is the fourth annual Awards event for the Age Friendly Ireland Programme and the awards ceremony itself will be held amid an evening of entertainment in Dublin’s Croke Park (more to follow).

The primary aim of these awards is to recognise and reward achievement in age friendly initiatives around Ireland. We are now putting out a call for applications to the Awards under the eight WHO themed categories below and to this end we would be grateful if you could forward the application information and link below to your Alliances, OPC’s, PPN’s, LCDC’s, Chambers, etc. so that we can reach the widest possible audience – please encourage them to submit an application.

The Awards are open to all organisations, individuals, agencies and communities – this Awards ceremony is a wonderful event and a great way to recognise and garner innovative age friendly initiatives.

AGE FRIENDLY RECOGNITION AND ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2018/2019

This year, eight categories of awards, aligning to the WHO themes, have been chosen as they have a meaningful impact on the lives of older people in Ireland.

They are: (WHO theme in brackets)

AGE FRIENDLY TRANSPORT AWARD (Transportation)
Getting to where you want to go when you want to go is so important to so many older people. This category recognises the vital difference that access to good quality and reliable transport options can make to an older person.
AGE FRIENDLY ACTIVE AND HEALTHY AGEING AWARD (Community Support and Health Services)
We are living for longer, but remaining healthy and active in later years can be a real challenge. This award recognises those initiatives that optimise opportunities for good health in later years, so that older people can continue to play an active role in community life.
AGE FRIENDLY BUSINESS INNOVATION AWARD (Civic Participation and Employment)
We know that creating an enjoyable and accessible environment for older consumers pays dividends for businesses and the wider community. This category acknowledges age aware businesses who recognise that older people are both producers and consumers and bring a wealth of experience and expertise to our society.
AGE FRIENDLY SAFETY AND SECURITY AWARD (Housing)
Feeling safe and secure at home and when out and about greatly enhances the lives of older people. This category acknowledges the impact of community based responses that enable older people to feel secure in their homes and in the wider community, and to know what to do when they don’t.
AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNICATION AWARD (Communication and Information)
A lack of access to information is often cited as a barrier to ‘ageing well’ in Ireland. The ability to access clear and concise information can impact on a range of aspects of an older person’s life, from health and wellbeing to social connectedness to financial security. This award recognises efforts being made around the country to bridge the information gap.
AGE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT AWARD (Outdoor Spaces and Buildings)
The built environment has a unique impact on the lives of all older people. Simple things like adequate public seating, level footpaths and appropriate crossing times at pedestrian crossings all have a huge impact on the ability of older people to be active in their towns and villages. This category recognises projects that bring about change in the built physical environment with older people in mind.
AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY INNOVATION AWARD (Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion)
The voice of the older person is at the heart of the Age Friendly Cities and Counties Programme, the Programme is designed and implemented with them and not for them. This award recognises those innovative projects that are driven by older people for older people in the local community. These projects not only enhance the lives of older people, but benefit the community at large.
AGE FRIENDLY HOUSING AWARD (Housing)
As people age they spend more time in their own homes. This means that older people’s quality of life, and thus their health, can depend on the appropriateness of their home environment and the conditions in which they live. This award recognises innovative housing initiatives that enable older people to remain independent at home for as long as possible.