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Age Friendly

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Chapter 1: Setting Up An <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> City Or County Programme<br />

Task One:<br />

Building Up the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> <strong>Age</strong>nda within the<br />

Local Authority<br />

The first task of the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> City or County Coordinator is to build a good<br />

relationship with the Chief Executive of your local authority. You have more than<br />

likely been chosen by him/her for this important role so that’s a good start. The<br />

Chief Executive is the key senior figure who will approach leaders across the<br />

various sectors of society in your area to join the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> Alliance. He/she<br />

will also Chair the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> Alliance meetings.<br />

A close relationship between the Chief Executive and the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> City<br />

or County Coordinator is also crucial within the development of the five year<br />

corporate plans for County Councils. The aim to develop and implement an<br />

age friendly programme in the county/ city should also be included within the<br />

corporate plan.<br />

Clear communication between the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> City or County Coordinator and<br />

the Chief Executive of the local authority is one of the most important foundation<br />

blocks of the programme.<br />

Mary Deery is the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> County Coordinator in Louth County Council. She<br />

was the first Administrative Officer appointed by the then County Manager, Conn<br />

Murray to run an <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> County programme. In 2009, Louth also committed<br />

to implementing the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> Strategy within its five year corporate plan (2010-<br />

2014) which resulted in a long standing and sustained commitment to the <strong>Age</strong><br />

<strong>Friendly</strong> programme in the county.<br />

Mary Deery has become a champion of <strong>Age</strong> Friendliness throughout Ireland and<br />

a great source of advice and experience for many others who came after her.<br />

She believes a good working relationship between the Chief Executive and the<br />

<strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong> City or County Coordinator is hugely important.<br />

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