Cross Party Group on Intergenerational Solidarity

22 January 2024: 11:00 – 12:30pm on Microsoft Teams

Attendees

·         Delyth Jewell MS, Chair, Senedd Cymru

·         Rhys Jackson, Older People's Commissioner for Wales

·        Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services

·         Catrin Hedd Jones, Bangor University

·         Dereck Roberts, NPC Wales

·         Heather Ferguson, Age Cymru

·         Marie-Clare Hunter, ENRICH Cymru Advisory Board

·         Rebecca Deverell, NUS Cymru

·         Phoebe Brown, Repair Café Wales

·         Rachel Bowen, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales

·         Dave McKinney, Older People's Commissioner for Wales

·         Leola Roberts-Biggs, Youth Parliament

·         Gethin Edwards, Welsh Government

·         Ioan Bellin, Staff Member to Delyth Jewell MS’ team

·         Ruth Parness, Welsh Government

 

 

Apologies

·         Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, Senedd Cymru

·         Ellis Peares, Youth Parliament

·         Mirain Llwyd Roberts, Age Friendly Gwynedd

·         Merryn Thomas, Swansea University

·         Deb Morgan, Swansea University

 

Actions

1.    Any members of the CPG who would like to talk at the next meeting on climate change to contact Rachel Bowen or Rhys Jackson

 

 

Welcome and Introductions – Delyth Jewell MS – Minutes of Last Meeting

There were no issues with minutes from the last meeting.

 

Discussion on Ageism with the Deputy Minister for Social Services

Julie Morgan said that age should not ever diminish someone’s rights to be treated with respect and that the rights of older people should be upheld by services providers. She said intergenerational solidarity is important to ensure society understands ageism is unacceptable. She highlighted Age-Friendly Wales - the Welsh Government’s strategy - is in its third year, and that the Welsh Government works with partners to deliver a Wales where ageism doesn’t limit potential or impact the services older people receive. She spoke of the work around Wales to ensure Age-Friendly communities, noting that she has met with officers around Wales who have put intergenerational solidarity into their plans.

Julie Morgan highlighted the Welsh Government’s loneliness and isolation fund, as part of the Connected Communities cross-government strategy, which funds projects that build intergenerational solidarity.

Julie Morgan said that a key priority for tackling ageism should be working to ensure mainstream media and society sees older people’s contributions rather than as a ‘burden’ as they are often portrayed. She noted the work of the Older People’s Commissioner who have created guidelines to challenge how older people are often portrayed. She said that she meets with the OPCW regularly to discuss progress on ageism, noting the OPCW’s webinar on the 1st February on human rights in Wales.

The Deputy Minister noted the Welsh Government’s work with Age Cymru and commissioned them recently for an older people’s rights campaign. She said that Age Cymru has produced a human rights toolkit which is used to instigate conversations on human rights. She also noted that Age Cymru are mentoring a group of older volunteers to act as human rights ambassadors to go out into communities and broker conversations about rights and ageism.

Dereck Roberts highlighted the successful work Swansea ageing-well partners are undertaking and noted that it is difficult to find out the older people’s champion in each local authority. Delyth Jewell asked the Deputy Minister whether the work of the older people’s champions will differ depending on location, noting that intergenerational events may be better advertised in university towns. Julie Morgan noted that intergenerational issues also impact younger people, noting that she is unsure of how each work.

Heather Ferguson highlighted work that Age Cymru is undertaking to tackle ageism, including a photography campaign called ‘This is Older’ which provides a more realistic view of ageing, as well as awareness training. She said access to public transport is a big issue that Age Cymru is hearing from older people, noting that access to communities is important for ageing. Julie Morgan praised the ‘This is Older’ campaign and said public transport is suffering because people are not using it and thus the transport is losing money. Gethin Edwards said he will share these images of positive ageing with the Welsh Government communications team.

Heather Ferguson said Age Cymru is seeing a reluctance of people getting back out over Covid and back onto buses. Delyth Jewell said it would be good for the group to look at public transport in more detail at a later date.

Catrin Hedd Jones asked whether the Welsh Government has looked at Scotland’s model of generation’s working together which has a strong national model of intergenerational work. Julie Morgan said she has personally not had any contact with Scotland but noted that this is something that could be looked at.

David McKinney said the age-friendly model includes older people and communities in the decision process and that where there are age-friendly partnerships with groups, there is a role for younger people’s champions in these groups to work on intergenerational issues. Gethin Edwards highlighted the importance of language in working towards age-friendly communities.

Dereck Roberts highlighted that at a recent meeting of the National Pensioners Convention there was discussion on public transport, noting anecdotal evidence that a lack of buses is causing both younger and older people to not be able to access town centres which in some cases impacts employment. Delyth Jewell asked whether the Deputy Minister’s focus should be on encouraging people to get out and about and use public transport. The Deputy Minister noted the drop in the use of the bus pass, and said it was important for her to encourage older people to come out of the house.

Rachel Bowen said it was a good time to think about ageing as the Centre for Ageing Better has launched a campaign on ageism – recommending the CPG to look at this work. Julie Morgan said this is important to note everyone’s own unconscious biases.

Delyth Jewell talked about the benefits of promoting intergenerational activities to bring generations together. Julie Morgan agreed. Gethin Edwards noted that the Welsh Government’s intergenerational work this year will be focusing more in the sport sector. Delyth Jewell asked the CPG to send on any examples of intergenerational good practice when found.

Catrin Hedd Jones asked whether any person in the group has worked with the media to tackle ageism. Heather Ferguson said that Age Cymru has worked with the media and journalists to talk about these ideas. Phoebe Brown asked about resources that could be used internally for smaller organisations. Rhys Jackson shared work done by the Commissioner on Guidelines for the Media and Tackling Ageism in Communications.

 

Matters Arising – General Discussion Space

Rachel Bowen promised to circulate a new report by the Commissioner on digital exclusion when it is published. Delyth Jewell encouraged the CPG to send any reports they may have to Rachel Bowen or Rhys Jackson to send around the group.

Heather Ferguson spoke about the work of Falls Prevention Taskforce, noting possible work with Scouts Cymru to teach them about falls and their dangers. Marie-Clare Hunter raised the possibility of drawing links with the Welsh Baccalaureate program.

 

Any Other Business

Delyth Jewell spoke about the next meeting of the CPG, noting that climate change could be the planned topic. Heather Ferguson agreed, noting that Age Cymru are soon to be producing a policy statement on climate change. Rachel Bowen said that climate change would work with the conversations had in this meeting about public transport. Marie-Clare Hunter supported this topic, noting that repairing and reusing items is something prevalent among older people. Phoebe Brown agreed with this, noting that this is not something as widespread among younger people.

Delyth Jewell suggested Public Transport, Addressing Climate Change in the Curriculum, and Learning from Other Generations as topics for discussion next meeting. She encouraged members of the CPG to get in touch should they wish to talk in the next meeting.

 

Close

Date of Next Meeting: 16th May 2024 on Microsoft Teams