A Guide to hosting Age Action Alliance Network Meetings

Background

With membership of the Alliance in excess of 500 organisations it will be increasingly important for members to meet face to face to explore and discuss opportunities for collaborative working for the benefit of older people.

The first Network Meeting was held on October 2nd2013with 35 members attending. Evaluation shows it was very successful, valued by members, and worth repeating in other locations around the country.

The meeting was arranged because the secretariat team was conscious that a number of members weren’t actively involved in working groups, possibly because they did not understand the opportunities that the Alliance could afford them as an organisation.

Purpose of a Network Meeting

To provide members with a brief history of the Alliance, its current activity and successes

To enable Alliance membersto better understand the benefits and opportunities of membership

To enable members to:

  • meet and network
  • share some good practice
  • put a call out for help to start a project
  • offer expertise in a particular area
  • explore areas of shared interest, with a view to collaborative working

Suggested format

1. See suggested agenda at Appendix 1

2.Enlist the assistance of a member of the Partnership Development Group, Working Group, or secretariat team to explain the benefits and opportunities of the Alliance.If required, apresentation entitled “Understanding the Alliance” isavailable to download from the Alliance website.

3. Enlist the support of an Alliance member(s) to share a personal view of “what the Alliance has done for them”

4. Set time aside for informal networking, but also for members to take part in “Five Minutes of Fame” which provides an opportunity to either share some good practice, put a call out for help to start a project, or offer expertise in a particular area.

5. Provide a delegate pack containing:

  • Agenda
  • Copy of slide pack (available from Alliance website)
  • Trifold leaflet (available from Alliance website)
  • Alliance infographic (available from Alliance website)
  • List of delegates & email addresses

This format is not set in stone, and there are a number of other options available for inclusion within an agenda for an initial Network Meeting, for example:

  • Ahead of the meeting ask people to supply the following information:
  • Name of organisation
  • What they do
  • Where they do it
  • Outcomes for older people
  • Future developments
  • Support required/connections required
  • Place these answers under relevant headings in the room, then have some focused networking where people can go and read/discuss the different answers.
  • Have a sign up sheet where people can leave their details if there is something they wish to find out more about
  • Ask group members “What’s exciting or of concern to you in your area with regard to older people?”
  • Organise speed dating – where members move around and talk to each other for two minutes.

Following the meeting:

  • Consider pulling together a map of activity under different headings
  • Through the enable people to contact other agencies in order to learn from best practice (a log is kept of connections made)
  • Consider twinning organisations with similar focus.
  • Gather feedback and learning points

Advertising the meeting

The Alliance secretariat would be able to let members know details of the meeting through the weekly email to members.

Alternatively, organisers may wish to identify members located in your region by examining the membership list on the website, and send a personal invitation to individual members. The secretariat team could advise contact details of members.

For further help or advice please contact

Simon Wilkinson

Alliance secretariat team

Floor 1E, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA

Telephone 0207 449 7028

Email: simon.wilkinson1:dwp.gsi.gov.uk

13th January 2014

Appendix 1