At Age UK we work with you, our supporters, to influence decision-makers on issues that affect older people, such as our underfunded care and support system, our cold homes, and loneliness.
We campaign with you, with local Age UKs, with colleagues from Age Cymru, Age Scotland and Age NI, and with friends and older people’s forums. We also work with other national and local organisations that share our aims.
There are two strands to our campaigning activity: direct calls for changes in law and policy and campaigning to the public to influence the behaviours and attitudes towards older people.
We focus our campaigning where we believe we can achieve the greatest change. We recognise that we are most likely to be successful if we create a strong network of campaigners; if we focus on a few campaigns at a time; and if we listen carefully to older people and give them lots of opportunities to speak out about the campaigns that matter to them.
First time campaigner?
As well as helping to achieve lasting social change, campaigning with us can help you build local relationships, as well as protect vital services that older people rely on. Campaigning can often also be great fun, helping to build a sense of purpose.
Depending on the nature of the campaign, it can give you the opportunity to work with key decision-makers – say in local authorities or in the NHS. It may also give you the chance to work with other local groups and organisations, sharing skills, knowledge and resources.
There is strength in numbers – whether it is on a local, regional or national level – and a group of voices is always more powerful than a single voice.