The objectives of Years Ahead include:

1. Bringing together organisations to ensure there is a common understanding of the key issues and trends around ageing and demographic change
2. Monitoring the impact of demographic change, including economic, environmental and social conditions, in the North East
3. Developing partnership working between organisations and across sectors, including dialogue with other communities of interest affected by demographic change
4. Providing a forum to share and promote best practice and through this to stimulate innovation, service and other improvements and new opportunities for older people
5. Encouraging the involvement of older people in, for example, economic activity, planning and political processes, and the research required to inform and implement effective local and national policy development and strategies.

Such an approach is essential if Years Ahead is to harness effectively the vast resource of experience, skills, vision and energy of older people in the 21st century.

A National Voice for the North East in Government and Policy Developments

The UK Advisory Forum on Ageing (UKAFA) directly supports engagement with older people and provides a unique opportunity for Ministers to hear directly from citizens on important issues and issues of current concern. UKAFA is co-chaired by the Minister of State for Pensions and the Minister of State for Care Services and it meets quarterly. It fulfils the government’s commitment to devolve power from Westminster to individuals and to increase civic engagement. UKAFA works across Government and explores the entire ageing agenda including health, social care, transport, rural, housing, communities; and the wider social justice agenda.

Years Ahead is a permanent member of UKAFA and regularly sends a North East representative to ensure the voice of older people is heard by Government on the issues that matter to us in the region. The North East UKAFA representative is nominated from the Years Ahead Partnership Board. For more information about UKAFA please go to: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/ageing-society/forums-and-support-activity/uk-advisory-forum/