National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre

1. National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre Susan Dann

2. Overview • Background to the Centre • Key priorities • Potential for collaboration

3. NSPAC Background • Established 2002 as a collaborative venture between National Seniors, USC and national government • Part of university sector eg staff employed by USC, located Sippy Downs • Business model re-negotiated in 2004 • Staff employed by separate company (NSPAC) and collocated with National Seniors

4. Market analysis • 38 universities • 17 formal ageing research centres • 10 formalised research streams in ageing research • 3 universities offer qualifications in ageing without a recognised specialisation in ageing research

5. Comments • Not all researchers in ageing are directly associated with Centres for ageing research • Not all participants in the research streams or centres are registered with the network • Significant research impacting on the ageing agenda being undertaken by people who do not self identify as being “ageing researchers” • Information is incomplete due to reliance on individual researchers and institutions to update information

6. Where does NSPAC fit?

7. What differentiates NSPAC? Combination of • philosophy of consumer driven research; • access to a significant database of potential participants aged 50+; • funding partnership; and • involvement with the university sector while retaining a level of independence

8. Approach • Proactive and issues based to identifying research projects and consequently research partners • Collaborative rather than competitive • Open to a range of collaborative relationships with unis and others

9. Key Priorities

10. Priorities • Generate a series of high quality research projects • Develop a unique position in the ageing area • Develop a national program of research

11. Achieving the Priorities

12. Key Outcomes 1 Produce quality productive ageing research

13. Research Framework: Dimensions • Dimension 1: Adaptable workforce • Dimension 2: Enterprising communities • Dimension 3: Resourcing the new retirement • Dimension 4: Learning and exchanges between generations • Dimension 5: Sustainable environments

14. Projects

15. Volunteering • Collaboration with UQ • 3 phase project in process • Literature review • Quantitative consumer feedback via website • Qualitative expert input via interviews

16. Mature Aged Workers • Process of phased retirement: The experience of Australian workers (Drew & Drew) • From redundancy to reconstruction: Mature age employment study (Earle)

17. Australian Active Ageing • Collaboration with research team from QUT • Reviewed 10 dimensions of life for older Australians: work, learning, social, spiritual, emotional, health, vision, home, life events, demographics

18. Voices of Action • Contributor to International Federation of Ageing project on active ageing policies • Phase 1 report is complete • Phase 2 analysis of policy and development of indicators about to start

19. Collaborations

20. Research Grants NSPAC • Two regular rounds of research funding applications • Research grants under following headings • Research projects • Matching grants • Grants application support • Research student support • Ad hoc support

21. Other Grants • Potential as an industry partner in ARC Linkage and other grants • Active researchers employed on a project basis • PhD supervisions

22. Partnering Projects • Partner with industry and industry groups for special projects • Supplement existing programs eg IPAA annual research grants • Seed funding

23. Education and Training • Sub element of the Commonwealth funding agreement is to promote productive ageing into the education system • Development and/or dissemination of resources

24. Dissemination of Research Aim: Maximise Exposure of Research Outcomes and Findings

25. Dissemination • NSPAC has three distinct target markets with different needs to address • Academics / researchers • Members • Media / general public • Projects must be able to address each levels interests and concerns

26. Target 1: Academics • Refereed journal publications, refereed conference papers and recognised research monographs / books • Recent outputs: Social Change Conference, A1 book on Mature Age Workers, AAG Conference

27. Target 2: Members • Key stakeholder in the research process • Primary communication via newsletters and magazine • Regular column / page for communicating research activities as well as research outcome in 50 Something

28. Target 3: Media / General Public • Raise profile of research with relevant journalists and publications and ultimately to the broader public • Regular media releases • Contributions to professional association newsletters and magazines • Contributions to ageing debate

29. Website • www.productiveageing.com.au or • www.productiveageing.org • Summary of activities and archive of projects

30. Foster Consumer Participation • Development of an opt in research participation database • Valuable for research projects involving non probability sampling and purposive sample ie predominantly qualitative projects

31. Questions