New panel will champion older people’s voices

A new panel has been set up to champion the voices of older people from across Greater Manchester in key decisions on policies and services.

The Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel, announced to coincide with the International Day of Older Persons on October 1, will work closely with the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Made up of members from across the city-region, the panel will represent the voices and experiences of older people, and provide opportunities for influencing decision-making and policy development.

The Older People’s Equality Panel will:

Ensure that the views, experiences, and needs of older people are taken into account by Greater Manchester’s leaders, and that leaders are informed about how policies and services might affect older people in different circumstances

Build positive relationships with communities and neighbourhood groups in each borough to engage with older people across the city-region, and learn from existing projects and initiatives

Make key contributions to the development of Greater Manchester-wide policies, programmes and services, so that they can become more inclusive, effective, and impactful

The Older People’s Equality Panel is one of seven equality panels established and funded by the GMCA.

The equality panels have been formed as part of a Greater Manchester commitment to make the city-region more equal and inclusive by ensuring all voices from our diverse communities are represented.

Cllr Amanda Chadderton, GMCA Lead for Equalities, Inclusion and Cohesion and Oldham Council Leader, said: "The Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel will provide a crucial platform for the voices of older people to be heard and taken into account when important decisions are made.

"The lives, experiences, and needs of older people are as diverse as any group in society, and we have to recognise that when designing the services and the policies.

"With representatives from across the city-region on the panel, we hope to get as broad a picture as possible of what our older residents want, as we continue working to ensure that Greater Manchester is the best place to get on and grow old."

Jan Kitching, interim Chair of the Older People’s Equality Panel, said: "The challenges faced by our older residents over the last few years have highlighted the inequalities in our city-region.

"There is much work to be done and the Older People’s Equality Panel will be playing a vital role to make sure older people’s voices are included in the development of policies and decision-making process.

"We’re keen to focus on the big issues older people are facing and right now that is the cost of living crisis.

"The panel will work with existing networks to advise on and challenge how change happens.

"I am incredibly proud to be part of this process and hope that we can continue to make a difference in our city-region."

The panel is facilitated by Macc and will work alongside the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network which brings together over 400 members to campaign for better outcomes for older residents.

There are currently members from across Greater Manchester on the panel who meet bi-monthly to discuss the prioritised themes and develop action plans to address the issues raised.

The panel will continue its recruitment process of a balanced and diverse representation from across the city-region.

Find out more about the panel on the GMCA website.

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