Our Work
Manchester’s Age Friendly programme has an international profile and is seen across the world as an example of good practice and innovation. Manchester was the first UK city to join the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities, committing Manchester to working towards being a better place to grow older.
Manchester takes a social approach to ageing and the AFM programme begins at the age of 50 (mid-life) through to late life. With high levels of deprivation in some parts of the city and high levels of ill health; interventions and programmes need to begin earlier to support better health and well-being outcomes into later life. It means that services need to have an age friendly understanding and approach, i.e. apply an age friendly lens, to their work to better meet the different needs, expectations and aspirations of a diverse age group and so be effective in what they do.
By taking a social approach to ageing, rather than focusing solely on responding to issues such as ill health, care and frailty, we can support the conditions for people to age well into later life; where we can experience greater independence, wellbeing, and connectedness – all contributing to improved health.
Read more of our Standards for age-friendly communications
Age Friendly Manchester, also works along with the Council's Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion teams, to create guidance to support people in completing an Equalities Impact Assessment, focussing primarily on age and ageing as a protected characteristic under the 2010 Equality Act.
The guidance provides some insight into the challenges we may all face, ageing together in Manchester. It also highlights some of the opportunities for residents to age well and have a happier and successful later life; as long as we ensure that our services and policies are age aware and address the specific age related inequalities that arise as we get older.
For more information download and read the Age Friendly Manchester Equality Impact Assessment Guidance