MISSION Australia has been successful in receiving almost $30,000 from a share of more than $600,000 through the third round of the NSW Government’s Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors program.

“Seniors are an integral part of our society, and we want to make sure they don’t run the risk of falling into social isolation,” Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said.

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Jesse Taylor, Mission Australia Community Development Manager, Mid North Coast, told News Of The Area, “Mission Australia’s Active Seniors Empowerment (ASE) Program is all about the people and partnerships.

“Ageing ain’t easy and ageing lonely increases risks.”

ASE works with older people across our region on engaging, fun, free community gardening projects and community activities.

“We have fun with seniors in their communities, often focusing on people living in community housing.”

ASE aims to reduce isolation and loneliness, improve quality of life and resilience, promote diversity and culture, place-based belonging and encourage life-long learning.

“We do this with our partners like Bunnings, GeoLink, The Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Lands Council, The Royal Botanical Garden of Sydney’s Community Greening Program, etc.

“For example, with Community Greening we recently opened our thirteen community gardens as well as completed a six-month follow-up focus group session for our Master Gardener certificate course with TAFE and Community Greening.

“We encourage gardeners to learn together and facilitate workshops like what has been happening every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm in Toormina at the Barcoo Community Garden at 22 Barcoo Court.”

Seniors from across the region attended weekly garden meetings at the Barcoo Community Garden and in their neighbourhood gardens.

Seniors join the ASE staff from across a supported network of community gardens to socialise, connect, learn, cook, and share a meal together, but they get so much more – a community of people who care.

Education sessions included permaculture, seed saving, falls prevention and healthy cooking with NSW Health – Health Promotion, Elder Abuse education with NSW Police and NGO service providers, basic IT education with Be Connected service providers, Covid safety with NSW Health and PHN, mental health (older person’s anxiety and depression) and wellbeing with Mission Australia’s Family and Carer Mental Health Program, recycling with Coffs Council, and so much more.

Building on the success and learnings of Mission Australia Housing’s (MAH) Active Seniors Empowerment (ASE) project supported in Round One 2021 of the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors Grant Program, MAH proposes to expand and enhance the diversity of active senior participants and therapeutic senior-requested empowerment services/activities in a concerted effort to reduce isolation and loneliness.

“Targeting the identified priority seniors groups across low socio-economic neighbourhoods in the Coffs Harbour LGA, ASE will expand the delivery of evidenced, senior-tailored inclusive therapeutic project activities, whereby reducing social isolation and loneliness, improving quality of life and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles,” said Jesse.

ASE Seniors have requested sustainable and equitable healthy ageing activities such as digital inclusion computer and internet skills education, intergenerational mentoring, active ageing seniors exercise groups, expanded therapeutic community garden education, volunteer opportunities and more.

“Structured and regular ASE sessions will be sustainably supported by our growing team of enthusiastic and empowered seniors volunteers,” he closed.

By Andrea FERRARI