Chapter 8 - Volunteer Community Co-ordinators

Key Messages

• Community consultation is an integral part of the policy development process.
• The Volunteer Community Co-ordinator programme has become an essential part of the Office for Senior Citizens approach to policy formation and advice.
• The Volunteer Community Co-ordinator programme is most effective when following a set work plan but can also provide very useful opportunities for discussion and feedback on other issues of interest to older people.

Introduction

The Office for Senior Citizens has a nationwide network of 37 Volunteer Community Co-ordinators (VCCs) to assist with the dissemination and collection of information relating to older people. The VCCs have become an integral part of the portfolio through the consultation process, as they bring together a wide range of individuals and organisations in their geographic areas to discuss topics of interest and report back to the Office on those discussions. This feedback is then used by the Office to assist the formulation of policy advice to the Minister for Senior Citizens. This community consultation model is highly important in the development of policy that is significant to older people.

Background

The Office for Senior Citizens (then the Senior Citizens Unit) was responsible for leading the Governments strategy for the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) in 1999. The VCC network was developed during 1999 to raise awareness about the Year and to encourage people around the country to be involved in the activities and programmes held during the Year.

The Office discussed the idea of establishing a network of volunteers with representatives from a range of organisations. These included Age Concern, Grey Power, Te Puni Kōkiri, the Mature Employment Service, SeniorNet, the Retired Persons Association, the University of the Third Age, and the Alzheimers Society. The organisations agreed to invite local groups to nominate a volunteer to work on the project.

Volunteer Community Co-ordinators were appointed in 29 areas. The organisations that nominated the VCCs agreed to provide local support and manage the funds provided by government for the programme.

In November 1999, the Minister for Senior Citizens hosted a function at the Beehive during which Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators. At that time, the VCCs reported that the International Year had provided a strong focus for positive ageing and had been successful in bringing communities together. The VCCs also expressed a wish for the network to continue. In late 1999, the incoming Minister for Senior Citizens supported the continuation of the network and funding of $112,500 (GST inclusive) was approved through Vote: Senior Citizens to establish a permanent VCC programme.

VCCs tasks

The Office has appointed a co-ordinator to provide one-to-one support for Volunteer Community Co-ordinators and to produce information packs and specific guidelines for each task the VCCs are asked to undertake.

Retirement villages are diverse in target age-groups and facilities. Some villages are large complexes with elaborate facilities while others consist of a few residential units on their own. That diversity is reflected in funding arrangements with costs of residence and services being paid on entry, as a monthly charge, on exit, or a combination of two or more of these options.

International Year of Older Persons

The Volunteer Community Co-ordinators played a vital role in the success of the Year, which was evident from the number of activities that took place and were recorded in the Years Calendar of Events. The VCCs role was to disseminate information about the Year to their communities, encourage groups to organise celebrations, and to provide information to the Senior Citizens Unit about how International Year of Older Persons was celebrated in their areas.

Positive Ageing Strategy development

In July 2000, the Minister for Senior Citizens invited the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators to organise focus groups and collect information from participants to assist with the development of the Positive Ageing Strategy. More than 40 meetings were held, involving older people, Māori, Pacific peoples, local government representatives, and older peoples community organisations. Participants in the focus groups were asked to comment on the draft principles for the Strategy, and to identify areas on which government could focus in order to create a society where people can age positively.

Positive Ageing Strategy promotion

The Minister for Senior Citizens launched the New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy and Positive Ageing Action Plan 2001/02 on 10 April 2001. The Volunteer Community Co-ordinators were pivotal in raising local awareness about the Strategy and Action Plan. They also provided feedback to the people who were consulted in the development of the Strategy, and encouraged communities to consider ways to promote positive ageing locally. So far over 14,000 copies of the Strategy and Action Plan have been disseminated. The VCCs have distributed approximately 5000 copies of each document in their communities.

Misuse of Enduring Powers of Attorney

In April 2002, the Minister for Senior Citizens asked the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators to carry out a survey based on the Law Commissions recommendations in its report The Misuse of Enduring Powers of Attorney. More than 1200 responses were collected. A questionnaire analysis was referred to the Ministry of Justice, the agency leading the review of the misuse of enduring powers of attorney provisions in the Protection of Personal Property Rights Act.

Services to older people provided by Work and Income

The next task for the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators will involve carrying out a survey of older people about the quality of the services available to them from the Ministry of Social Developments Work and Income service. The purpose of the survey is to identify practical ways that the services can be enhanced.

Policy forums and VCC workshops

The Office for Senior Citizens has organised two policy seminars, in partnership with Victoria University of Wellington. The seminars were to facilitate networking between the VCCs and representatives of local government, older peoples organisations and government agencies, and to inform VCCs of current policy issues and developments.

The seminars focused on issues relating to the themes Positive Ageing in Action: Communities Working Together (April 2001), and Positive Ageing in a World of Diversity (October 2001).

Each year the Office for Senior Citizens facilitates a workshop for VCCs. The workshop provides an opportunity for the VCCs and the Office to discuss aspects of the VCCs role, provide feedback on recently completed tasks, and discuss future projects.

At the October 2001 workshop, the Prime Minister presented each VCC with a lapel pin, in recognition of their contribution to positive ageing. The October 2002 workshop will focus on the development of best practice guidelines for the VCC programme and meet government officials from a range of agencies for discussions on current policies of interest to older people.

Success factors

Towards lifelong participation and independence The success of the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators network relies on a good working relationship between the Office for Senior Citizens and the VCCs. This is sustained by the dedicated services provided by the VCC Co-ordinator, who: collective project.

• provides continuing support, advice and positive feedback;
• provides information packs and resources that help the VCCs to complete the tasks requested by the Minister;
• discusses ideas or any issues individually with the VCCs;
• arranges group discussions through telephone conferences; organises face-to-face workshops, seminars and celebrations, including speakers and information that will assist the VCCs to promote positive ageing;
• provides a process for the VCCs to report back on tasks they have carried out;
• and recognises that each VCC and their community is unique and may carry out tasks differently.

Another important factor in the programmes success has been in the development of strong links with the VCCs nominating organisations. This involves frequent liaison and keeping the nominating organisations informed of the tasks the Minister has requested. The role of the nominating organisations is to:

• provide local support for their VCC;
• hold and be accountable for the funds provided to cover the VCCs expenses;
• and liaise with the Office to ensure continuity of the programme.

The Volunteer Community Co-ordinators programme is new and is continually enhanced as it grows. It is essential that all parties to the programme have a clear and shared understanding of its purposes and its capacity. The annual workshop combined with constant communication ensures that everyone who works for the programme feels part of a collective project.

Part of enhancing the programme is looking at ways to expand and consolidate it. It is intended that the nominating organisations will have a more direct relationship with the Minister and the Office for Senior Citizens. This will enable the Minister to achieve better regional coverage through the Volunteer Community Co-ordinators, and improve the channelling of local advice through the nominating organisations to national levels.

The Volunteer Community Co-ordinators programme has been immensely successful. It is a model that meets the Ministrys need for partnerships between government and the community. It also provides an opportunity for community input into policy development and participation in the Positive Ageing Strategy.