Network action through the Edmonton Age Friendly Alliance
With a growing number of Albertans living longer, the need for community-based supports is greater than ever. Collective action is essential to meeting this need.
What is the Edmonton Age Friendly Alliance?
Edmonton Age Friendly Alliance is a network for the well-being of older adults. We bring allies together to help make our city more age friendly by recognizing diverse needs of seniors, and actively supporting their inclusion, engagement and well-being.
Age-friendly principles guide our work. An action network structure helps us organize our collective energy. An intentional network* of allies can solve complex challenges and emerging issues better than any one group, by leveraging diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise.
The Alliance has a Stewardship Group which champions the work and engages stakeholders in priority-setting. The ESCC supports the Alliance and its Stewardship Group by providing facilitation, information management, partnership development, event planning and communications.
*Excerpt from blog post by Jeff Mohr; Building Intentional Networks that drive impact: ‘The term we use to describe networks of this type is intentional networks. June Holley, author of The Network Weavers Handbook and long-time practitioner of all things networks, describes an intentional network as: …a network of people and organizations that are working on the same issue or vision, together with structures that have been created to mobilize the energy of the organizations. Intentional networks have shared purpose. They use network principles to design how they make decisions and coordinate projects. And they show up in the world in different ways than traditional, top-down authority structures.’
An infographic displaying Edmonton's Community Based Seniors Sector. (Download here)
What is the age-friendly movement?
Age-friendly communities throughout Canada and around the globe promote healthy and active aging. An age friendly city is an inclusive place where age is not a barrier to access services, programs, businesses or facilities. Creating an age friendly city helps us all.
ESCC was instrumental in the City of Edmonton’s decision to join the World Health Organization Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities in 2010. As a member of this global network, we have access to resources, tools, expertise, and best practices from across the world.
In Edmonton, the movement strives to ensure that older persons:
- are respected and included
- feel safe and supported in their homes and communities
- are socially connected and empowered to contribute to their communities
- have access to the information, programs, and supports they need
Who can participate in the Edmonton Age Friendly Alliance?
Anyone who cares about the well-being of older adults is welcome to be an ally!
How can I participate?
- Special event: 2024 Corporate Challenge games team - to build awareness of the of the Alliance, and the seniors sector, while having a little fun!
- Network gatherings: whole group events to learn together, build relationships, share information, define common goals, and advocate for priority issues chosen collectively. Sign up for ESCC’s online Link Letter to hear about upcoming gatherings.
- Action teams: to move ahead on key priorities, such as events, resources, information and advocacy materials, and other creative projects
- Stewardship Group: a collective leadership role that requires a network mindset, teamwork, flexibility and a commitment to working for increased equity, diversity and inclusion within the Alliance.
To learn more about joining the Age Friendly Alliance, including leadership and volunteering opportunities, email Kym@seniorscouncil.net.
Network Gatherings
The Edmonton Network of Stakeholders meets regularly to advance work, issues, and connections to support healthy aging in Edmonton. The meetings are known as Network Gatherings, formerly called Stewardship Round Table (SRT) meetings.
View the most recent Network Gathering below. Previous sessions are available on ESCC's YouTube page.
Meet the Stewardship Group
Members of the Stewardship Group have been recruited to lead a transformation of Edmonton's network of seniors serving organizations.
Working together to transform Edmonton’s seniors framework
The shock wave from the pandemic highlights ongoing challenges. ESCC invites organizations in Edmonton's network serving older adults to join conversations to transform Edmonton's seniors framework.