Community Engagement: Best Practices and Principles for Age UK

This report discusses the best practices and principles for community engagement for Age UK, a leading charity for elderly people. It covers the project and programs, community engagement principles and standards, benefits of stakeholder participation, engagement with social media, and the importance of a forward-looking approach to educate community members. The report emphasizes the need for community participation, collaboration, socio-cultural integration, and multiculturalism. It also highlights the role of community engagement practitioners in preparing for internal and external factors that influence community development.

1 Community
Engagement

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Project or program..................................................................................................................3
Community engagement principles and standards.................................................................4
Benefits of stakeholder’s participation...................................................................................4
Engagement with the help of social media.............................................................................5
Community engagement practitioner needs to adopt a forward-looking approach to educate
community members on internal and external factors that influence community development
................................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES:...............................................................................................................................9
Books and Journals.................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Community engagement refers to perform in groups for the welfare of society. It includes
contribution of number of people according to the geographic division, similar interest, similar
situations and mind set so that they could serve the people who are suffering from any problem
or issues. It increases interaction among people, organisations and different community members
(Di Napoli and et.al., 2019). Community engagement helps in creating changes which can results
in better society. This report is based on Age UK which was founded on 1 April 2009 and it is
headquartered in London, UK. It is a leading charity which was established for elder aged
people. It help in resolving the emerging problems of older people which affect their society.
This report will include the narration of assessment and analysation of best practices. Description
of projects and programs on community engagement principles and benefit of stakeholders. This
report will also includes how social media platform used to outreach to support the project.
Relevant avenues to promote community participation, diversity and collaboration to enable
multi-culturalism and socio-cultural integration. Forward looking approaches are used to educate
community members.
MAIN BODY
Project or program
Age UK wants to spread positivity among elder people of society by improving their life
and maintaining quality of living standard. They give support, companionship and advice to
elderly people who have issues in their life. They provides various benefits like legal services,
home lifts and stairlift, personal alarms, funeral plans and bathing solutions (Johnston and Lane,
2019). Age UK help elder people in learning digital skills so that their live become easier.
Technological skills make them independent so that they can perform some of the activities by
themselves. Digital technologies give them freedom to connect with each other and communicate
their thoughts and expressions. Elder people can entertain themselves with the help of digital
platform which make their life more happy. It can reduce the stress, anxiety and depression of
people who live alone and provide them support.

Community engagement principles and standards
There are various principles which are used by Age UK so that they can better support
the individuals (Satizábal and et.al., 2022). This ensures the quality and equality of services so
that they can serve people in best manner. Some of the community engagement principles are
mentioned below:
 Careful preparation and planning: Proper planning helps Age UK in ensuring the
needs and wants of elder people are completely fulfilled in effective manner. It helps in
clarifying all the activities which should be carried out.
 Openness and learning: It ensures the open and free flow of thoughts and views so that
new ideas can be explored. With the help of new learnings various community
engagement activities can be carried out.
 Transparency and trust: All the processes should be commenced with the clarity. Age
UK follow this community engagement principle so that ideas can be clearly expressed.
Collaboration and shared purpose: It is very important to encourage and support individuals
which is followed by Age UK (Renwick and et.al., 2020). It helps in proper results and
outcomes.
Benefits of stakeholder’s participation
 Various new learnings and knowledge can be gained by communicating with
stockholders. Age UK focus on the learnings of elder people so that they can better
understand the conditions and situations.
 Older age people can enhance their skills of decision making with the participation of
stakeholders. Age UK promotes betterment of individual so that they can grow
themselves by making strategic decisions for their own.
Collaboration with stakeholders increase the trust and loyalty between people of Age UK which
help them in reducing then loneliness (Osborne and et.al., 2021). It eliminates negativity and
spread peace and harmony.
 Participation of stakeholders can manage the risk of negative thoughts and behaviours of
elder people who are connected with Age UK. Stockholders provide solutions to
overcome the negativity in effective manner which can contribute in the harmony of
society.

Engagement with the help of social media
The use of social media results in more engagement of people due to their innovative and
attractive features. It helps in connecting people from all over the world in short period of time.
Age UK uses various social media platforms for the engagement of their people like Instagram,
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Individuals can share their activities and information with each
other so that they better understand the behaviour and attitude of people. Increase connectivity
results in reduction of boredom and depression (Gray and et.al., 2021). Age UK also use social
media platform to convey the messages and information regarding their day to day activities,
campaigns and important information. This helps in increased engagement of their stack holders
and industry experts. It allows Age UK in spreading awareness among citizens about the welfare
of elder age group. With the help of social media, they up date people on regul.ar basis so that
they can also contribute towards various charity programs. This can help whole society by
serving the needy people in effective manner. It educates people so that they stay aware about
the current scenario and condition of the society. Creative post and innovative content attract
large number of people who can take initiative to resolve the various problems which are elder
people are facing in society. Social media can connect number of people by engaging them in
effective manner so that they mange some of the activities of Age UK.
The age UK has utilised social media technique in order to launch various campaigns
which enhance digital skills of old age people. It is a crucial initiative taken by the program
managers in order to provide a assistance in Covid-19. Through which the old age people will
get to keep them involve through social media platform by interacting with each other. Social
media has power to make effective content viral through which they can build awareness among
many people about the old age groups (Tan, and Apisit-Isariyah, 2018). Many people get engage
through some content on social media which has posted by many creativities artist who shows
there when you will contribution in getting best results. It is the best platform to engage large
number of audience simultaneously from any location. Many volunteers and other people shows
interest in age UK programs through posting content. The needs to reply them back and give
some time to know there point. The more they will engage people, the more shareholders will get
profit. For that instance the age you can needs to be awake about some below mentioned point’s
colon:

Community participations: The age UK has its major aim to involve community
participation as much as it is possible. In today's time old age people are feeling helpless and
homeless as well due to Immortal behaviour of their children or society. They face many
problems during aged life which become cause for their dissatisfaction. So, the Age UK runs
many effective programs to give them homework and a Healthy lifestyle. For that instance they
utilise different tools and technique in order to help them members to make stand for them.
Social media participation is one of an initiative to engage more people towards them. Not only
the aged once but the younger youth also getting inspired from their programs. So the Age UK
needs to use the social media techniques by launching regular campaigns and empower humanity
by doing the right act.
Collaboration: It is the most significant aspect which needs to be considered by age UK.
Collaboration place vital role in engaging people and take the valuable judgement and
coordination. When large number of people engages together and work on same motive it will
become highly successful in unlimited period. Therefore the age you came must enhance
collaborative afford by going digital to attract other NGOs and programs in order collaborate and
work for single motive.
Socio-cultural integration: The age UK is community based Organisation in which they
need to aware about social and cultural integration of society. The must work as per the
communities interest and their belief. When society will be happy, the organisation will achieve
their goals more effectively. Social media is a great platform to regulate positive thinking as well
as a culture among people (Ariese, 2018) (Schiavo, 2020). There need to enhance standard of
social cultural integration and help people to change their way of thinking about old age people
and support them in their crucial time. Using social media platform is a great way for the
community to attract stakeholders and investors by showing cultural values and Society needs.
Multiculturalism: The people are more engaged with multi culture society in which there
are unity and collaboration still exist into the society. They follow multiculturalism in which they
quality maintenance and eliminate discrimination of values and believes. Therefore using social
media tools and technique, these values where generate more effectively among society which
help in removing gap among rich and poor and people will understand about humanity (Pierce,
Blanton, and Gould, 2018). The AGE UK consider this factor toward in successful growth in
solving community issue and give them best assistance.

Community engagement practitioner needs to adopt a forward-looking approach to educate
community members on internal and external factors that influence community
development
Community engagement practitioner plays the crucial rule in attracting large people
towards the programs and plans of organisation. The needs to adopt forward looking approach in
order to help people and Society effectively by giving best guidance and instructions. Forward
looking approach simply means that in the community practice needs to educate people in order
to maintain a well environmental in both internal and external factors. They must be aware about
Global current trends in the factors that impact on community programs. This will make them
engaged and out of the complicated situations (Fernandez, 2018). Therefore the age you can need
to take better decisions for both the factors in a below mention way:
Internal factors: this includes the factors which are directly related to the community
programs. This includes the financial budget and talent within the organisation. Without these
both resources it is not possible to achieve goals and objective for community engagement.
External factors: in avoid business environment, external factor such as political
Government and Society has a lot of interference in working practices. The policies and
strategies must be prepared after analysing each factors need in order to work in well manner.
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded that community engagement is vital practice for the community
programs. It engages more people towards positive view point for betterment of societies.
Therefore the report has identified the purpose of program and how it can be contributed well by
stakeholder engagement. Therefore the report has provided use of social media in order to
engage people and collaborate with others for smooth functioning. The discussion is about
forward looking approach which is also vital for the community practice to engage effective
talent and prepare necessary budget for great community participation. There is requirement of
creating awareness among people who are still not focused about society values and culture
through social media platform. It helps in getting interact with people and communicate about on
life and perceptions which will boost confidence of aged people. They will get a Healthy lifestyle
and as well as happy living by getting loved in listen. Therefore the community engagement
programs are vitally being important for the society to eradicate unnecessary obligations and
bring equality and humanity.

REFERENCES:
Books and Journals
Ariese, C.E., 2018. The social museum in the Caribbean: grassroots heritage initiatives and
community engagement. Leiden University.
Di Napoli and et.al., 2019. Community trust: A social indicator related to community
engagement. Social Indicators Research, 145(2), pp.551-579.
Fernandez, M., 2018. Increasing community engagement in Latino residents to improve health
outcomes. Local Environment, 23(9), pp.920-933.
Gray and et.al., 2021. Diversity in clinical trials: an opportunity and imperative for community
engagement. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 6(8), pp.605-607.
Johnston, K.A. and Lane, A.B., 2019. An authenticity matrix for community engagement. Public
Relations Review, 45(4), p.101811.
Osborne and et.al., 2021. New frontiers in local government community engagement: Towards
transformative place-based futures. Futures, 131, p.102768.
Pierce, S., Blanton, J. and Gould, D., 2018. An online program for high school student-athlete
leadership development: Community engagement, collaboration, and course
creation. Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2(1), pp.23-29.
Renwick and et.al., 2020. Community engagement is…: Revisiting Boyer’s model of
scholarship. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(6), pp.1232-1246.
Satizábal and et.al., 2022. The power of connection: Navigating the constraints of community
engagement for disaster risk reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk
Reduction, 68, p.102699.
Schiavo, R., 2020. Advocacy, community engagement and cross-sectoral collaborations as key
strategies during COVID-19 response and beyond: New directions for a new
decade. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 13(1), pp.1-5.
Tan, C.C. and Apisit-Isariyah, P., 2018. Towards a community-based theory of brand community
engagement. Advanced Science Letters, 24(7), pp.5167-5170.