Older People's Strategy - Newcastle City Council

16Section 2: Culture and principlesSet out below are some of the main methods by which all thepartners want to work together to develop this strategy andturn it into action. They reflect the fundamental changes inattitude and culture that will be needed in order to move froma situation where ageism and age discrimination are built intothe fabric of life, to one where we celebrate older age andvalue the contribution that older people make to all aspectsof our society and across all generations.Engaging older people as partnersThere are three elements to this:First, engaging older people at every stage, and allowingenough time so that they can contribute in a meaningful way –‘nothing about us without us’. This means adopting a proactiveapproach to social inclusion and diversity.Second, building on the interests and skills of older peopleso that they can engage in planning the future for themselves,their neighbourhood and their city.Third, changing perceptions of older people so that theyare encouraged to be contributors to as well as recipientsof services.