Older people’s associations (OPAs), in particular those using the self-managed OPA model, have demonstrated themselves to be capable of making a practical contribution to the rural poverty reduction strategies promoted by the Chinese Government. The project carried out in three provinces of China is a source of learning and replication. There is much that older people can do to support their own wellbeing and improve their knowledge and health practices, whether through mutual social support, incomegeneration activities, or organization of technical training. The self-managed OPA model has proven to be a successful means of initiating pilot projects and cultivating the wellbeing of poor older people in rural areas27. This model is coherent with rural development and poverty reduction strategies and the 11th 5-year National Plan on Ageing recently adopted by the Chinese government, and could lead to the establishment of many more OPAs with the capacity to reduce poverty and improve the overall wellbeing of older people and their communities in China.

BBC News, World: Asia-Pacific (2000) China’s Ageing Population, London, BBC News.

 

These guidelines are a tool to assist those working with older people to understand the role and process for establishing an OPA. The guidelines are based on experiences of HAI in Cambodia and China, and may need to be adapted to meet the specific needs in a country or a region.

Older people’s associations (OPAs) are community-based organizations aimed at improving living conditions for older people. They provide a mechanism for providing social support in the community as well as for facilitating and delivering projects and services.

􀂃 To provide social activities for older people
􀂃 To increase older peoples skills and abilities
􀂃 To assist the poorest and sick members
􀂃 To provide vocational training
􀂃 To improve older people’s social status
􀂃 To improve the overall development of the village or community
􀂃 To advocate on behalf of the community, with special regard to older people’s needs, to the local authorities (village leaders, development councils), and service providers (health centers, rural development departments, etc.)
􀂃 To assist in the implementation of development plans of local governments
􀂃 To improve older people’s health and fitness
􀂃 To become a self-sustaining OPA which has transparent functioning
􀂃 To promote equality between men and women
􀂃 To promote social harmony
􀂃 To improve empowerment of older people
􀂃 To serve the older people through democratic processes

􀂃 Older people’s associations are self-run and self-managed organizations, which promote sustainability

􀂃 The members of the OPAs work together to support the members most in need (for example, through livelihood, health and social promotion projects)

􀂃 OPAs are part of the community and can work well with other community organizations and with local government in the village’s development

􀂃 OPAs develop the capacity of its members; older people are trained in how to manage, lead and advocate. They also receive and share technical trainings, such as agricultural and health training.

􀂃 OPAs can have positive influences on younger people, because OP can share their learning and experience with other people in the community

􀂃 OPAs improve the attitude of older people by reducing loneliness, providing greater confidence, and greater security.

􀂃 Social activities such as music and exercise classes
􀂃 Advocacy on the rights of elderly people and their capacities
􀂃 Education on subjects, such as livelihood, health and intergenerational issues
􀂃 Implementation of livelihood, health and advocacy projects
􀂃 Disaster preparedness initiatives
􀂃 Organizing exchange visits between OPAs for awareness-raising
􀂃 Fundraising activities, such as small business enterprises and government relations
􀂃 Community education
􀂃 Follow-up on requests by the village committee
􀂃 Mediation of family conflicts and promotion of inter-generational relationships.

Step 1: Selection of suitable OPA communities

􀂃 Select villages/communities on the basis of predetermined objectives (e.g. the project objective maybe to develop OPAs for reasons of poverty alleviation.
This would mean localities would be selected according to their poverty status.
Other objectives may be to promote community awareness of HIV/AIDS)

􀂃 Collect information on the community from village leaders, respected older people, monks, nuns and teachers to be used by the field workers when they make their final decision about which villages are most suited to have an OPA.

􀂃 Field workers meet to determine which sites appear to be most appropriate for the development of an OPA.

Step 2: Orientations, and determining the purpose of the OPA

The orientation process should clearly state to OP how the OPAs work and what their purposes are. It is also important for the OPA to have a mission and a vision, for example supporting poor older people in the community. It is advisable for the field worker to facilitate discussions on the following issues:

􀂃 The needs of older people and the community

􀂃 The priorities of the OPA

􀂃 The means to solve the problems, and the steps

􀂃 The activities which are necessary to respond to the needs of the community. In some instances OPAs will develop sub-committees to head separate projects (health, livelihood, social)

􀂃 Potential pitfalls and ways to overcome them

Step 3: Process of creating an OPA (membership, leadership and rules)

􀂃 Awareness-raising: After the field worker has oriented the selected communities, it is advisable for interested older people to participate in an exchange visit to another OPA to develop their understanding of the role of anOPA and the process of establishing an effective OPA

􀂃 Membership: there are a number of ways that membership can be decided, for example:

 

□ There can be an age limit (e.g. members must be over 55), and then a quota is set (typically 25 members) based on “first come first served” criteria.

□ There can also be an age limit, and then open membership where there is no limit to the number of members.

􀂃 Leadership: The selection of a management committee can be a difficult process that sometimes requires support from village institutions (such as village committee) and training on how to conduct an election in the community. It is recommended that the OPA management committee is elected in a democratic and anonymous fashion (secret ballet).

􀂃 Sub-groups: Some OPAs like to have a number of sub-communities, such as a disaster management committee, a social activities committee, a seed money management committee or a health committee (this will vary depending upon the objectives of the OPA). Membership to these should be elective. It may be useful for caps to be put on the number of members of the sub-committees; however, they have proven useful in the organization of activities of the OPA and increase participation and reduce the workload of the management committee.

􀂃 Rules: It is necessary for the OPA to develop a number of by-laws (rules governing the internal management of an organization); these rules should enable the OPA to be self-managed. Self-management of the OPA is a key ingredient in sustaining the activities of the OPA when the NGO field workers are no longer available. It is recommended that the OPA works out its own by-laws together, facilitated by a field worker. They should list the roles and responsibilities of the leadership as well as those of the members. Once the by-laws have been drafted they should be written up and hung in a public place.

 

Similarly, financial records and organizational structures should also be recorded and posted on walls; thus the members are aware of the financial and management status of the OPA which develops transparency. However, it may be necessary to provide the OPA with training on how to:

□ Register the OPA with the government
□ Set up a bank account
□ Manage the organization’s finances in a transparent way
□ Select bookkeepers and cashiers to manage the seed money
□ Set up clear procedures for the selection of beneficiaries for the OPA’s resources, such as seed money/rice banks/cow banks (assuring that those most in need have access)
□ Take minutes and record decisions
□ Put in place by-laws that explain the rules of membership and the rules for the management committee
□ How to conduct fund-raising activities
□ How to work with the government to access technical training and other resources
□ How to work with local institutions to improve the wellbeing of older people
□ How to build the capacity of the OPA leaders
□ How to promote participation of older people in OPA activities

Step 4: Continuity of activities

It is important for the OPA to have support in the initial stage of formation so they can overcome the problems that may arise in management and implementation of activities. However, the purpose of setting up an OPA is to develop a self-sustaining organization. The NGO is meant to provide the OPA with the tools to determine what problems they face in their respective community and with the means to find solutions. The OPA may also need to be educated in how to find other means of accessing income in order to provide sustainability, such as:

􀂃 How to access government funds and training
􀂃 How to conduct fundraising activities within the membership/community
􀂃 How to set up group enterprises to support the budgeted activities Common difficulties

From experience it has been noted that there are a number of pitfalls when developing an OPA. It is important to be aware of these issues and to try and confront them as they arise. Examples of common difficulties are:

􀂃 Gender imbalance: this is especially pronounced in management, as more educated members are selected and women in the rural areas are typically uneducated.

Therefore, women rarely represent the gender proportionality of the OPA membership.

􀂃 Leadership candidates: “natural leaders” (e.g. village leaders, party leaders) tend to dominate the management of the OPA, making the OPA an extension of existing power structures from the outset. The typical result is that the OPA membership is not able to voice real concerns and issues.

􀂃 Meeting the needs of the poorest members: since the membership typically focuses on the needs of the majority, there is sometimes an exclusion of the poorest members (who have little to contribute to the OPA) and thus they become passive beneficiaries.