The Community Training and Development Centre · “Contact the Holistic Family Wellness Centre through email (provide the contact information) and ask about their services for seniors”

Phone: 905-372-9967Website: www.ctdclearningplace.com

A GUIDE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

Box 662, 300 Alexandria DrCobourg, ON K9A 4R5Phone: 905-372-9967

Fax: 905-372-9703

[email protected]

The Community Training and Development Centre

Views expressed in this publication are the views of the Community Training and Development Centre and

do not necessarily reflect those of the Province.

By 2024, 24% of the population of Ontario will be seniors.

Our communities in Port Hope and Cobourg are now close to 50% seniors. Isolation within senior populations is increasing and this puts seniors at risk for possible decline in their physical and mental health.

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The Importance of Senior Engagement 70% of Seniors are online

Take the Challenge

24%By 2024

Seniors in Ontario.

Go with the FlowAccording to former Ontario Premier Wynne, 70% of seniors are now online, and use tablets or phones to participate with social media and connect with family and friends. Boomers are avid technology users and will continue to be increasingly engaged with technology.

70% of Seniors are online.

Social engagement is an important part of senior health. The App is an easy to use tool, created to facilitate engage-ment. This app engages the senior every day in a 60 day period and invites them to explore and engage with their community.

Each community whether large or small, will experience a growth in the number of seniors.

The CTDC has developed a community challenge to encourage seniors to become engaged in their community. Motivation to participate is supported through a “gamified” approach, wherein 60 challenges are linked to seniors interests, and one challenge is delivered to the seniors phone every day.

We invite you to also take up this “Networked Community Challenge”. The CTDC will provide you with the step by step “how to” kit in order to help you develop your own challenge.

70% of Seniors are online

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Why the Challenge? How will it Help?

The CTDC has been providing specialized services, and responding to community needs since 1997. In 2017, CTDC partnered with Northumberland County and Habitat for Humanity-Northumberland to carry out an in depth study on AFC (Age-Friendly Communities).

The results indicated that seniors had limited knowledge about local businesses, services, organizations and social activities available in our community. Seniors were looking for a simple way to get connected, especially those seniorswho were both newly arrived and newly retired.

We All Count Times Are Changing

Motivates senior to connect every day through a daily task notification.

Facilitates connections to a variety of community services and local businesses.

Provides opportunities to combat social isolation.

Easy to use App.

The App can track usage allowing for evaluation of the process.

Encourages and supports participation in activities and events.

Promotes age friendly communities.

The App challenge takes an innovative approach to community engagement through gamification.

Gamification helps to motivate action, which is key to minimizing isolation.

The App is available on iPhones and Android phones.

Our Age-Friendly Communities Study

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Community Leaders need to be involved Developing the Challenge

Follow the Leader Technological Know-howThe technology had to be designed to meet all the needs of the consistent task challenges to be sent daily over a 60 day period.

A total of 120 tasks were designed in order for 60 tasks to be sent over a 60 day period. The model had to be designed with a process of connecting, tracking and validation.

It is important to have community leaders from various segments understand the importance of the App as a potential solution for social isolation. These leaders can also identify local organizations, clubs and businesses for task inclusion in the App.

Leaders were chosen from: 1. The Municipalities 2. Rotary Clubs 3. County government 4. Local Arts Committees 5. Churches 6. United Way 7. Volunteer Agencies 8. Seniors Organizations and Clubs 9. Habitat for Humanity Northumberland CTDC

Developing the Challenge

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The Advisory Board of Local Seniors Choosing the Tasks that would represent each OrganizationCounsel of Elders

The CTDC had an initial group of 4 seniors involved in the preliminary concept of development. In addition, 12 local seniors from a variety of backgrounds and interests were recruited to provide information and connection to the community organiza-tions/clubs/business and activities that would be represented in the tasks of the App. This group was then asked to each recruit 5 seniors to participate in the Beta testing of the App functionality and task connections.

Pick and ChooseThe CTDC employed two local seniors to visit organizations, groups and clubs, and introduce them to the concept and design of the App. Information on the organizations core function and activities was collected. This form included:

Name of organization

Address of organization

Contact person identified to respond to seniors inquiry

Email address of organization

Website URL of organization

Phone number

Activities and timelines

Services

98

The Advisory Board of Local Seniors Choosing the Tasks that would represent each OrganizationCounsel of Elders

The CTDC had an initial group of 4 seniors involved in the preliminary concept of development. In addition, 12 local seniors from a variety of backgrounds and interests were recruited to provide information and connection to the community organiza-tions/clubs/business and activities that would be represented in the tasks of the App. This group was then asked to each recruit 5 seniors to participate in the Beta testing of the App functionality and task connections.

Pick and ChooseThe CTDC employed two local seniors to visit organizations, groups and clubs, and introduce them to the concept and design of the App. Information on the organizations core function and activities was collected. This form included:

Name of organization

Address of organization

Contact person identified to respond to seniors inquiry

Email address of organization

Website URL of organization

Phone number

Activities and timelines

Services

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The Categories of Interest The Preliminary Assessment Questions

All the Good Stuff

Each category was picked to ensure that we included a variety of potential interests, locations, accessibility, availability and potential for social engagement. Other municipalities, towns or cities can pick different types of categories that best represent their com-munities. You do not need to list every location, business or activity, just enough to be of interest to your senior population for 60 days of app activity.

The total number of activities for our App was 120. However, you can design an App with more or less. The calculation is as follows, - if a task is to be sent every day for 60 days you will need double the tasks for the number of days=120. If you had 90 days you would need 180 tasks.

Who Are You?

Questions were designed to appeal to all personality types and interests. You are free to include a different variety as long as you think they will appeal to you seniors. The assessment questions initiate an “either/or” response where the user must choose from one of two options.

Tasks are sent to the senior every day for 60 days dependent upon the answers to the assessment.

Some examples of the assessment questions include:

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities?

Do you prefer group or individual activities?

Do you prefer to be structured or go with the flow?

Do you prefer to participate or observe?

Do you like to give back? Yes / No

Do you like new things or prefer to remain the same?

Do you prefer to be entertaining or make handicrafts?

Cat

egor

ies

of In

tere

stFitness

Sport

Arts

Theatre

Personal Appearance

Faith

Financial services

Volunteering

Health

Music

Crafts

Environmental

Education

Decor

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Samples of Tasks Task Descriptions

A Few Good Things“Go to the Cobourg Community Centre

and ask about the $2 yoga classes”

“Contact the Holistic Family Wellness Centre through email (provide the contact information)

and ask about their services for seniors”

Validation for all tasks is provided once the user clicks the link provided, sends an email, fills in the form given in the app or uploads a photo.

How toThe CTDC worked closely with the App consultant to ensure we had a method and content that reflected a community. The tasks were written to be easily understood and simple to follow. While each community has very different organizations, clubs and businesses, we believe that the same format could be followed to design site specific tasks.

Community Centre

Art Gallery

Museum

Spa

YMCA

St. Peters

Drapes Curtains

Wellness Centre

Lawn Bowling

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Finding EmploymentTrain Seniors Organizations to use and market the Challenge

Sharing is CaringTo assist organizations that provide services to seniors, a train-ing overview was developed, and provided during onsite training. This allowed staff to assist seniors to download and try out the App. It also allowed staff to become familiar with usage and mar-keting to other seniors and local groups.

More info can be found on www.ctdclearningplace.com.

Experience is an AssetFor seniors interested in finding new employment opportunities, visit the App store and download the free app 60IN60-CHALLENGE, for 60 activities/tasks that will assist seniors in a step by step process in finding employment possibilities. The App is designed for iPhones and Android phones only.

For further information, and to develop your own App, contact the Community Training and Development Centre at 905-372-9967, email: [email protected] or visit the website www.ctdclearningplace.com.

Contact us for HelpDownload the “Chalenj” app

from either the play store for Android phones or app store for iPhone.

Once the app is downloaded, search for NETWORKED COMMUNITIES CHALLENGE.

Connect with 60 people in 60 days for job search success!

Learn more by visiting

60in60challenge.com