SOPA exists to give a strong voice to older people about their concerns and experience of life in Scotland, and also raises issues about inequalities of age.

SOPA identifies issues that worry the older population and conveys messages from the grassroots direct to Scottish and Westminster Governments.

SOPA contributes to and supports policy that has a positive impact on later life and challenges when implementation falls short. 

SOPA highlights successful volunteering where the voice and experience of older adults are making a difference across generations. 

Click here to download leaflet.

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Membership categories:

Full membership: open to organisations involved in any aspect of promoting the voice and experience of older people. This category carries voting rights.

Associate membership: open to other bodies (public  or private sector) and to individuals.  This gives the right to attend members’ meetings, but without voting rights. Associate membership is open to any organisation or individual wishing to support SOPA's aims and activities.

Please complete and sign the membership application form below and return it to Glenda Watt. Contact details on the form.  Download here. To view the Constitution go to the foot of the Committee Page.

SOPA would like to hear from you: To leave a comment or suggest an idea for the next Assembly or for a SOPA action click here to go to Guestbook. 

The Scottish Older People's Assembly is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation: Number - SC046520

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2015 Assembly: 5th October

The 2015 Assembly was sponsored by Christian Allard MSP and addressed social justice in the context of SOPA’s Action Plan topics. Alex Neil, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights delivered the keynote speech. (See 'The National' article in the News page - 6 October) followed by Chair Tom Berney.  Read Tom's article - also on the News page.  

The morning session was held in the Members Room of the Scottish Parliament. After lunch there were six hour-long workshops in parliamentary meeting rooms on themes that people had identified as important - Housing and Community Safety,  Health and Social Care,  Transport, Travel and Environment, Community Empowerment, Retirement, Pensions and Money Matters and  Communication and Information. Feedback was delivered in the Members Room and the following Campaign Issues were highlighted -  

• Reduce funeral poverty through funded developments and promotion of social enterprise funeral arrangements
• Raise awareness of the negative impact of major changes to the State Pension.
• Promote the need for funded programmes to encourage active citizenship in later life
• Improve participation of older adults through funded use of communication technology
• Seek to have older representatives on all Joint Integrated Boards
• Emphasise the need for care workers to be respected, well paid and trained to the highest standard
• Highlight the importance of improved quality of life for older people cared for in a home and ‘at home’ through links to the community.
• Psychological and therapeutic services for people over 65 should be funded on a par with ‘adult’ services.

2015 Assembly Page - Click here to go to the Assembly page to view more pictures  filmed proceeedings in each of the 6 workshops and radio interview.  

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SOPA's website will keep you informed about its activities, through newsletters and updates on local events, with links to specific areas of interest in later life. Bookmark this site and visit it regularly. We welcome your input in the Guestbook.

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