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Seniors BC

Leadership and Participation

Fostering Partnerships and Supporting the Leadership and Participation of Older People

Active Aging in B.C. Communities - Case Studies of Community Actions is an informative report with examples of successful programs and activities for active aging in communities across British Columbia.
To foster older people’s capacity for active aging, the Ministry of Health works to develop diverse partnerships, build on existing initiatives and structures, and create mechanisms to coordinate action among various organizations and the public, ensuring that Active Aging in British Columbia is implemented province-wide and is sustainable.

A guiding principle of this approach is including the participation and leadership of older people. Older people have a wealth of experience to share and are a valuable resource to their communities. Implementing these actions will empower and support older people so that they can continue to contribute their skills, knowledge and experience.

Supporting Partnerships and Participation of Older People

The Ministry of Health works with the BC/Yukon Division of New Horizons for Seniors (NHSP) – the federal government’s community-based grant program to support programs and initiatives for seniors. NHSP’s priorities for grant funding for B.C. organizations and local governments have been developed to support B.C.’s priorities for healthy living for seniors. For more details, visit the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) website.
The Ministry of Health has hosted four Active Aging Symposia since 2007 to share successes, promote networking and report on progress in supporting seniors’ healthy living. Hundreds of older people, their representative organizations, the health sector, and partner organizations leading the way in promoting active aging have participated.

  • At the 2007 Active Aging Symposium, participants endorsed the idea that future active aging initiatives should be planned and implemented with the advice, involvement and leadership of older people. 

  • The 2008 Symposium was hosted in partnership with BC Care Providers Association with the theme of “Intergenerational Connections”.

  • The 2009 Symposium was held with the theme “Aging in Action: Mobilizing and Supporting Volunteerism”.

  • The 2011 Symposium took place in June during BC Seniors’ Week. Its theme was “Planning for Healthy Aging”.

ActNow BC Seniors’ Ambassadors is a program to support local teams of enthusiastic volunteers who wish to share their passion for health and wellness with fellow British Columbians. The program supports the recruitment of volunteers 55+ and provides these persons with training to become healthy living ambassadors for ActNow BC.