Establishing age-friendly communities which are good for all residents across the lifespan, puts local government at the forefront of being able to design and deliver services that allow residents to participate at their level of choosing within the community. 

There is a huge opportunity to make our communities more conducive to maintaining and improving mental health, with a huge role local governments can play in achieving this. Where some councils may not have an appetite for supporting such a cause, progressive councils see mental health as very much part of their responsibility and remit.

Do organisations that commission programs, whether it be through grants, tenders or philanthropic donations, fully appreciate the important leadership role they play in the sector? We identify a couple of activities that reflect a more proactive and deliberate approach by funders of social programs to getting the best outcomes and bringing service providers along on the journey.