LIMERICK groups working with and supporting older people are being encouraged to apply for support to advance their active citizenship and advocacy work.
The Community Foundation for Ireland is offering support to initiatives which ‘give greater voice’ to older people through a grants scheme operated by the foundation which has provided more than €1.5 million to groups and organisations.
Applications are now being sought for grants of up to €7,500 under two strands.
The first strand, Active Citizenship offers support to community-based and national activities that promote older people as active citizens and build their capacity to take on roles in their community.
The second strand, Advocacy, offers support to projects that empower older people to become advocates on issues that affect them. These include support advocacy by older persons’ for older persons, training to influence policy, developing community decision-making processes, building leadership and negotiation skills.
Community Foundation for Ireland chief executive Denise Charlton said that during Covid-19, research showed that members of the older generation in Limerick felt ‘cancelled’ during the pandemic.
“Sidelining people because of age must never happen again. This year our Older Persons Fund is firmly focused on preventing a repeat by working to strengthen voices, so that everyone can have their say and everyone is heard.
“Such work ties in with the mission of our donors of Equality for All in Thriving Communities and the empowering of generations to achieve it.”
Closing date is August 5 and application details are on www.communityfoundation.ie
