Newsletter and IYOP Initiatives Australian Coalition '99

AC '99 Update - Edition No. 3 (August 1998)
INTRODUCTION

AC'99 Awarded Commonwealth Government Backing

On Thursday, 23 July 1998, the Minister for Family Services, the Hon Warwick Smith, advised the Australian media that the Commonwealth Government of Australia recognises Australian Coalition '99 as the official NGO organising body towards 1999.

The Commonwealth Government has awarded $563,000 to the AC'99 National Secretariat until April 2000. The role of the Secretariat will be to manage ongoing communications and facilitate partnerships between organisations in the lead-up and during 1999 to make a real and sustainable difference to the lives of older Australians.

Mr Smith held the press conference at the Council of Adult Education in Melbourne.

New Address and Contact Numbers for AC'99 Secretariat

The AC'99 National Secretariat has successfully relocated its office. We welcome all National Partners to visit our new premises and discuss opportunities for working together next year.

Please ring or e-mail Jane Inall, Executive Assistant, to make an appointment.

Logo Guidelines

The guidelines on the use of the IYOP Logo have been circulated through the AC'99 partner network. It is imperative that all organisations, groups and individuals using the logo adhere to these instructions.

If you have not received the AC'99 Guidelines on the use of the IYOP Logo, please contact the AC'99 National Secretariat.

Factors in Success
An excerpt from a paper presented at the 28th ICSW International Conference on Social Welfare, Jerusalem, 8 July 1998, by Denys Correll, National Executive Director, Council on the Ageing (Australia).

Governments and non-government organisations need to make clear decisions on which years should receive major support. The impact of any year is lost if every year becomes the focus of attention. Some years do not have a clear direction or ownership e.g. the Year of Tolerance, and efforts to promote these Years detract from Years that successfully identify stakeholders and gain a commitment from Government.

A criteria for the success of an International Year is whether the results were sustainable, and the community felt that there had been a long term impact. On this basis, a major criteria for approving or sponsoring international year activities is whether an activity is likely to have an impact beyond the year. This certainly does not mean that one-off celebratory events are of no worth. Rather, celebrating events can raise the status of the Year by raising awareness, creating a wider community interest and establishing a positive image of the international year. A second criteria for success is whether the key stakeholders are clearly defined and are centrally involved and committed to the Year.

The preparations for the year are fundamental to achieving broad ownership of the year and commitment to achieving long-term results. The history of some International Years suggest that where the year is captured or controlled by one group or government, then the immediate results or outputs may be high but outcomes in terms of sustainable social change are unlikely to occur.

Observations

• Decisions on whether any particular international year activities should be supported depend on an assessment that the outcomes can and will be beneficial and sustainable.
• Government and non-government organisations need to recognise, in preparing for the year, that no one group or sector owns or should dominate an international year.