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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