Croatia
Croatian Red Cross Society City of Valpovo
The Croatian Red Cross City of Valpovo is a branch of the Croatian Red Cross and wider Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. The branch was established in 1880 and has a team of 15 staff and 96 volunteers. Ageing is a priority area of work, with programmes to reduce older people’s social exclusive and to ensure dignified ageing.
The Croatian Red Cross City of Valpovo became a member of the HelpAge global network in November 2018.
Czech Republic
Beauty of Help Foundation (“Nadace Krása Pomoci” in Czech -NKP)
The Beauty of Help Foundation (NKP) was established in the Czech Republic in 2008 to provide support for older people, especially those vulnerable or isolated. It supports the development of home-based care services in the country and to reduce the number of older people forced into residential institutions.
NKP has built up significant expertise in the area of home-based care, and has developed a programme to fill gaps in the Czech Republic’s social service system. It is also involved in campaigning and advocacy, fundraising, supporting other NGOs in the country concerned with older people, and providing other services related to health, care and social protection.
Beauty of Help Foundation became a HelpAge global network member in 2018.
Zivot 90
Established in 1990, ZIVOT 90 is a civil society organisation working with and for older people in the Czech Republic. Their main goal is to create change and improve older people’s quality of life.
Zivot 90 raises awareness of older people’s issues in the Czech Republic by disseminating relevant information and knowledge. They work closely with government ministries and organise conferences on ageing issues. They have also participated in a working group to address the social exclusion of older people.
Zivot 90 was involved in the formulation of the Czech National Programme on the Preparation for Ageing. This document covers older people’s needs and is supported by all ministries of the Czech government.
Zivot 90 became a member of the HelpAge network in 1990 and an Affiliate in 1992. They have been involved in the Age Demands Action and Linking Lives campaigns and the MIPAA +10 Review.
Denmark
Globale Seniorer
Globale Seniorer is a civil society membership organisation founded in 2013 to strengthen the rights and wellbeing of older people at a global level. It aims to influence policymaking through networking, advocacy and awareness-raising.
The Danish organisation is made up of working groups on specific themes, such as developing countries, human rights and globalisation.
Globale Seniorer became a HelpAge global network member in 2016.
DaneAge Association
Established in 1986, DaneAge Association is a not-for-profit, membership organisation. Their mission is to fight for a society in which the person is more important than the person’s age.
DaneAge advocates for a society without age barriers and ageism, adequate pensions for retired people and a healthcare system without age discrimination. They also provide support and counselling to help older people make informed decisions concerning finances and housing arrangements.
In 2007, DaneAge collaborated with Care Denmark on a project to support vulnerable older people in Vietnam. From 2008, DaneAge has collaborated with Dane Church Aid to establish self helps groups with older people in Kyrgyzstan.
DaneAge also collaborated with the Danish Refugee Council to help older migrants and refugees in Denmark, focusing on removing language barriers and overcoming loneliness and financial problems.
Finland
Valli – the Union for Senior Services
Valli is the Union for Senior Services, a Finnish membership association established in 1953 with over 60 years of experience providing services to older people; and working within the framework of evolving national government policies relating to old age. Collectively, Valli members provide services to 20,000 older people in Finland annually. Valli has both the recognition and the proven ability to reach and influence high-level national politicians and decision-makers.
Valli has valuable knowledge and experience in areas related to HelpAge’s global actions, including around health, care, social protection, gender and equality. To date collaboration has included connecting HelpAge with the government of Finland and with Finnish United Nations officials at the highest level through meetings, seminars and events in Finland and in New York.
Taking part in Age Demands Action since 2012 under the campaign name Occupy Your Own Age, Valli has enabled the coming together of eight organisations of retired persons to promote nationwide attention to good ageing; brought together citizens and decision-makers; and attracted substantive media coverage and funding for events. Valli also launched the Global AgeWatch Index in Finland in both 2013 and 2014; has contributed papers to national and international publications, and has taken key messages for the post-2015 work into Finnish government and UN agencies.
Germany
HelpAge Deutschland
Established in 2005, HelpAge Deutschland (HAD) raises awareness about ageing and development in Germany. Another of their goals is promoting the social, economic and cultural rights of older people in the developing world.
HAD is the only German NGO which focuses on ageing and development. They work closely with the German Government and civil society organisations.
HelpAge Deutschland has been a HelpAge global network member since 2005 and since 2009 has shared its visions, mission and brand.
They have worked on HIV and AIDS prevention with MUSA in South Africa and trained older people in disaster prevention with RIC in Bangladesh among other projects.
HAD also informs the Federal Government and the European Union on issues of ageing and development and raises awareness in Germany of older people in developing countries.
Ireland
Age Action Ireland CLG
Age Action is Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older people and works to ensure that older people’s voices are heard at the highest level of Government and that the lived experience of older people informs policy responses to their needs. Age Action strives for equality and human rights for each of us as we grow older. We work under four themes; Health & Wellbeing; Ageing in Place; Lifelong Learning; and Equality & Rights. Our programmes are designed to ensure that older people are supported to be active, engaged members of their community whose voices are heard at all levels of service planning and policy making.
Age Action became a HelpAge global network member in 2004. It promotes awareness of ageing in developing countries within Ireland, and works closely with HelpAge and Irish Aid on the development of this programme.
Italy
HelpAge Italia Onlus
HelpAge Italia Onlus is a non-profit NGO established in Italy in 2017 that works specifically with older people in the country who may be disadvantaged due to physical, mental, economic, social or family circumstances. The organisation works to protects the rights of these people to help ensure they have a healthy, safe, and economically-dignified life.
The organisation is active in the social and health sectors to promote the autonomy, social inclusion, and physical and economic security of disadvantaged older people, as well as seeking to combat and overcome abuse and discrimination.
HelpAge Italia Onlus conducts research, advocacy, policy influencing and campaigning on other issues that impact older people and ageing, such as disaster risk reduction and climate change, social protection and HIV/AIDS.
HelpAge Italia became a HelpAge global network member in 2017.
Malta
Caritas Malta
Caritas Malta was established in 1968 to alleviate poverty, and promote human development and social justice in Malta. It has a specialised unit for helping older people.
Caritas Malta works with disadvantaged people and to empower them to develop their own incomes and helps to restore their sense of responsibility in building a better society.