Resources from the Ambition for Ageing Programme

Ambition for Ageing was a 7-year programme (2015 - 2022) that aimed to create more age-friendly places in Greater Manchester and empowered people across Greater Manchester to live fulfilling lives as they age.

The programme was part of the National Lottery Community Fund’s national Ageing Better initiative; a £78 million investment to improve the lives of people aged over 50 by addressing social isolation and loneliness within local communities.

The main risk factors for social isolation are linked to marginalisation and inequality. As such, the programme focused on equalities and shifting power towards those who have not traditionally been involved in decision making at a local level. 

Across the 7 years of delivery, we produced a range of reports, briefings and toolkits. Follow the links below to access them. 

A Social Capital Perspective on Community Development: How the Ambition for Ageing programme in Greater Manchester used social relations to create change in neighbourhoods, January 2023

A Good Practice Guide to Delivering Microfunding, August 2022

Supporting Ageing in Place, March 2022

It's About People, Not Just Place, March 2022

Social Eating Guide and Technical Handbook, August 2021

Ambition for Ageing Podcast Series, May 2021

Pandemic Pressures: How Greater Manchester equalities organisations have responded to the needs of older people during the Covid-19 crisis, April 2021

Older People and Financial Security policy paper, March 2021

Ambition for Ageing: Lessons Learned so far and Implications for Future Commissioning, February 2021

What Works in Tackling Social Isolation of Older People in Bangladeshi communities, January 2021

Widening Circles of Influence – An evaluation of the Ambition for Ageing Equalities Board, October 2020

A Toolkit for Inclusion in Practice, October 2020

Equalities and Ageing Digests (1. Transport, 2. Health, 3. Housing, 4. Covid-19) April-October 2020

Barriers Facing Carers when Seeking Employment, August 2020

Ageing in Place for Minority Ethnic Communities: The importance of social infrastructure, August 2020

Insights from the Ageing Equally Research Projects, July 2020

Developing ocial contact models at a time of social distancing, July 2020

A Spatial Approach to Working with Marginalised Communities, June 2020

Mapping and Working with Marginalised Communities workbook, June 2020

Ageing Equally Research Reports, May 2020 (13 reports from community organisations on what supports wellbeing and what makes places age-friendly for a cross-section of communities of identity or experience within the population of Greater Manchester, in order to prevent social isolation)  

AfA Programme Evaluation, May 2020

Going for GOLD! Greater Manchester Growing Older with Learning Disabilities: an inclusive research project to reduce social isolation amongst older adults with learning disabilities, May 2020

Use of Information and Communication Technologies to Support Social Connections, April 2020

Alternatives to Cash During Covid-19, April 2020

The Value of Small, Community-led Equalities Research, February 2020

Changing a Place: Microfunding, Co-production and Community Development, January 2020

An Age-Friendly Transport System, June 2019

Ambition for Ageing Evaluation report (2019), May 2019

Working Inclusively to Make Communities Age-friendly, April 2019

Social Infrastructure: How shared spaces make communities work, April 2019

Supporting VCSE Staff as Older Carers, February 2019

Resilience in an Ageing Greater Manchester, October 2018

Building Age-friendly Neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester, August 2018

Age-friendly Communities in Practice - a portfolio of good practice in age-friendliness across Greater Manchester, July 2018

Community Media for Greater Manchester: An ambition for connected later life, June 2018

Social Isolation and Older BAME People in Greater Manchester, April 2018

Asset-based Approaches and Inequalities, February 2018

Gathering Insight and Understanding - how we track and report our progress, May 2017

Introduction to Co-production, October 2016

Social Isolation Among Older People in Urban Areas, July 2016

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