Banner image for Age-Friendly Social Participation domain page. Left side has black background with the words Age-Friendly Domains above the words Social Participation. On right side of banner is image of several people sitting on socially distanced chairs, clapping after a lecture. An older woman is smiling and clapping in the foreground.

An Age-Friendly community ensures that all people have opportunities for developing and maintaining meaningful social networks in their neighbourhoods. The needs and preferences of all ages and abilities are considered in planning by local governments, agencies and institutions.

In the sections below, you will see examples of what Age-Friendly Saskatchewan communities are doing in this domain. For each example, there is a link to that community’s individual page and to their contact details, for more information.

You may also find the SSM/Age-Friendly Saskatchewan resource LET NO ONE BE ALONE helpful. You may access it at this link.

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Videos of Events: In Strasbourg, videos are produced for all community events, and people are given links to watch on home computers. Click here for contact details.

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Seasonal Music: In 2018 and 2019, in partnership with the Lions Club, Age-Friendly Rosetown hosted evenings of seasonal music, with snacks, beverages and free rides to the event. During the pandemic, this had to be done differently, of course, so a video was produced and distributed. Local businesses helped fund this project. Click here for contact details.

Street Barbecue: Age-Friendly Rosetown annually hosts a street barbecue. Entertainment is provided to encourage people to stay and visit. Additional objectives are to raise awareness of Age-Friendly Rosetown and to raise funds to financially assist local organizations and projects that support older adults. Click here for contact details.

Annual Shopping Night: Age-Friendly Rosetown worked with the Prairie Centre Credit Union in the warm-up area they provide. Click here for contact details.

International Day of Older Persons: Age-Friendly Moosomin hosted a coffee time, with coffee and donuts, for International Day of Older Persons, Oct. 1, 2021 and Oct. 1, 2022, to celebrate International Day of the Older Person. The Legion Club Room hummed with great conversation and visiting from 10 till noon. It was a great way to get out the word about Age-Friendly! Click here for contact details.

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Age-Friendly Saskatoon/SCOA leads programs such as Globe Walk, Seniors Tech Buddy, Seniors Neighborhood Hub Clubs and Century Club. Click here for contact details.

Toonie Lunch: In the monthly Toonie Lunch, Age-Friendly Strasbourg teams with a different partner each month to provide a lunch for seniors where seniors can not only get a meal, but also have a chance to socialize. This is a great way to help alleviate isolation. Partners have included the Adult Day Program, students from William Derby School, and Strasbourg Emergency Medical Services, who not only helped with the meal but also set up blood pressure testing for anyone who wanted it. Strasbourg Lions Club, Forever…in motion, and Business Association Members each partnered at one of the meals and helped serve. Click here for contact details.

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Story Walk: Age-Friendly Rosetown helped promote the West Central Literacy Committee’s story walk. It provided an opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to get outdoors together safely amidst public health orders, in the middle of winter. Click here for contact details.

Reading with Children: In Ponteix, some seniors go to the local school to have children read to them, after which the seniors ask the children questions to see if they have understood what they have read. Click here for contact details.

School Visits: In Ponteix, seniors have brought stamp collecting into the school to help the children in developing their vocabulary and geographical knowledge. Click here for contact details.

In Saskatoon, a penpal program matches older adults with school age children to exchange letters and cards. This is a fun activity for seniors and children alike and helps create relationships between the generations. Click here for contact details.

Through AF Saskatoon/SCOA’s leadership, a partnership with local high schools, the Seniors and Youth Connect program, creates an opportunity for older adults to work one on one with students for help with technology devices. This also helps build relationships among generations and dispel negative stereotypes about aging. Click here for contact details.

Family Literacy Day and Let No One Be Alone Week: Age-Friendly Shaunavon held intergenerational event on January 27, 2023, to mark Family Literacy Day and Let No One Be Alone Week. Older adults and kids joined together to read books, do activities, and spend time together. Click here for contact details.

Reading Practice: 20 adults go to William Derby School in Strasbourg every Wednesday, and are read to by students for one hour. Click here for contact details.

Tech Buddies: Age-Friendly Strasbourg provides a Tech Buddy program, in which William Derby School students are paired with seniors every second week. The seniors are helped with any device they’re having trouble with. Click here for contact details.

Winter Treats: In Strasbourg, the Grade 9 class delivered 150 packages of hot chocolate labeled “Warm Winter Wishes” providing a special treat for many people on a cold winter day in January, 2023. Click here for contact details.

Fall & Winter Yard/Sidewalk Care: In Strasbourg, William Derby School students raked and cleaned seniors’ yards in the fall, and the Snow Angels program made sure walkways were cleared in the winter. Click here for contact details.

Tech Buddies:

Age-Friendly Shaunavon is setting up a Tech Buddies program to have school students help older adults with technology. Click here for contact details.

Reading Buddies:

Age-Friendly Shaunavon’s Reading Buddies program is very popular with both students and seniors, and they are adding another school to their program in the 2023-2024 school year. Click here for contact details.

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Tech Drop-In Sessions:

Age-Friendly Shaunavon will be holding weekly drop-in sessions for older adults to bring in their electronic devices for training and assistance. Click here for contact details.

“Social Participation and Well-Being” Workshop: Age-Friendly Saskatoon held this workshop to explore various elements of social participation, methods for assessing level of engagement, and ways to develop healthy connectedness. Click here for contact details.

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