Age-friendly Belfast Plan 2022-26 - Equality Screening Template

Age-friendly Belfast Plan 2022-26 - Equality Screening

Equality Screening

The Council has a statutory duty to screen. This includes our strategies, plans, policies, legislative developments; and new ways of working such as the introduction, change or end of an existing service, grant funding arrangement or facility. This screening template is designed to help departments consider the likely equality impacts of their proposed decisions on different groups of customers, service users, staff and visitors.

Before carrying out an equality screening exercise it is important that you have received the necessary training first. To find out about the training needed or any other queries on screening, contact the Equality and Diversity Officer (job-share) Lorraine Dennis on extension 6027, Lisa McKee on extension 6310 or by email [email protected].

The accompanying Screening Guidance note provides straightforward advice on how to carry out equality screening exercises. Detailed information about the Section 75 equality duties and what they mean in practice is available on the Equality Commission’s website.

The screening template has 4 sections to complete. These are:

Section A - provides details about the policy / decision that is being screened
Section B - gives information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts on all equality groups.
Section C - has 4 key questions in relation to obligations under the Disability Discrimination Order
Section D - is the formal record of the screening decision.

Section A

Details about the policy / decision to be screened

1. Title of policy or decision to be screened: -

Age Friendly Belfast Plan 2022 - 2026

2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened:-

This is a continuation of the Age Friendly Project.

The Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership (HASP) leads the Age Friendly process supported by Belfast City Council

The Age Friendly Belfast second delivery cycle (2018 - 2021 Age Friendly Action Plan) has been completed and HASP have evaluated the progress, produced an Age- friendly Belfast progress report, and developed a new 4-year plan 2022 - 2026 for public consultation

Currently there are no legislative or procurement implications, but The Belfast Agenda commits us to ensure an Age Friendly Belfast.

Financial implications relate to the implementation of the Age Friendly Belfast Plan, and Belfast City Council Contribution is covered through existing resources.

Age Friendly Background

In 2012, Belfast City Council All Party Reference Group on Older People provided the initial leadership to explore Belfast becoming an Age Friendly City. Subsequently, in May 2012, the Lord Mayor signed a declaration committing Belfast to this process That commitment was reconfirmed within the Belfast Agenda.

An Age Friendly City must:

Establish mechanisms to involve older people throughout the Age Friendly process
Develop a baseline assessment of the age-friendliness of the city under eight domains:
Develop a 3-year city-wide action plan
Identify measurements to monitor progress against this plan.

It was clear that in order to consider and develop these domains we would have to work in partnership with a wide range of voluntary, community and public organisations providing services for older people. Many of the organisations were already members of the then Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) which had identified healthy ageing as a priority within its Framework for Action to reduce life inequalities in Belfast. It was therefore agreed by Council that BSP should lead the Age Friendly process supported by the existing Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership. The Belfast Strategic Partnership no longer exists so HASP is the governance lead.

It is also clear that a wide range of Council Departments and Services are essential to the features of an Age Friendly city and there is a need to engage senior officers from across the organisation to deliver this project.

HASP have been using a range of mechanisms to engage with older people and key stakeholders across the city with a view to identifying priority areas for the next 4 years and updating the baseline assessment.

These have included working with community planning and partner organisations to utilise existing data sets.

Consultants were commissioned (Eos Community Consulting CIC) to develop a revised baseline report, an impact report with key stakeholders and to coordinate a consultation process and ensure links to other Belfast and regional strategies e.g., refreshed Belfast Agenda and co-designing the new regional Active Ageing Strategy.

Consultation events and partnership workshops/meetings took place:

Shankill Older People’s Forum 10 people
South and East Belfast Older Peoples Forums 8 people
West Belfast Seniors Forum 28 people
Healthy Living Centres 2 organisations
Dementia Friendly Neighbourhood Groups 20 people/orgs
Age Friendly Workshop in Belfast City Hall (older people/representative groups from north, south, east and west of the city) 80 people
Public and Voluntary Sector Stakeholders 40 people/orgs
Postcard surveys at men’s health day, 300 people tea dances and other events

3. Aims and objectives of the policy / decision to be screened:-

(What is the policy trying to achieve?)

Our Vision remains

Belfast – A City where older people live life to the full

Consultation has identified the following 4 strategic themes and associated actions for the draft AFBP.

1. Infrastructure/getting out and about

Developing a joined-up approach to engagement and co-design with older people on local and city centre physical developments.
Development of age friendly design principles which can be used to inform existing and planned provision and physical developments.
Review and improve access to seating and toilets, particularly in the city centre and parks and open spaces.
Continue to raise awareness and provide training for service providers on the access needs of older people.

2. Social connections

Support the recovery of existing services and development of new initiatives to reduce isolation and loneliness, led by Age Partnership Belfast.
Coordinate an Age Friendly Belfast annual programme, led by BCC Age Friendly Co- ordinator, supported by Tourism, Culture, Heritage & Arts Unit.
Develop local connection hubs and a city centre hub where older people can meet each other and access information.
Develop dementia carers cafes in all 4 dementia friendly neighbourhoods, led by Dementia Friendly Neighbourhood groups and supported by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
Develop a joint recruitment drive to encourage older people to re-engage in volunteering and recruit new volunteers and celebrate older volunteers with annual awards.

3. Health and wellbeing

Work with the Greater Belfast Seniors forum to link with GP representatives and multi- disciplinary teams on a regular basis to improve access to services, led by Age Partnership Belfast
Support 600-800 older people (most in need) to improve their mobility levels and to feel more connected and less lonely, led by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, supported by BHDU. (This is the older people’s priority for the refreshed Belfast Agenda)
Promote key messages and connect older people’s programmes that seek to increase their strength and mobility, including fall prevention.
Involve Older people in the development of the ‘Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing’ approach.

4. Financial security and cost of living

Involve older people in developing accessible information on financial security and increasing access to services that will contribute to increased financial security.
Deliver ‘Be prepared’ information events across the city which focus on financial security, benefits uptake and scam awareness.
Promote information and raise awareness/access to services through older people’s forums.
Work to normalise and reduce stigma of older people accessing financial entitlements, led by the Age Friendly NI network supported BCC Age Friendly Coordinator.
Support and inform wider policy level work on food and fuel poverty e.g., food waste reduction projects, promotion of fuel stamps, links to foodbanks and social supermarkets to ensure that the needs of older people are reflected and met.
Support and develop the Age at Work campaign which is delivered by Business in the Community and Age NI which support employers and older employees to enable older employees to remain in work.

4. On whom will the policy or decision impact?

Consider the internal and external impacts (both actual or potential) and explain:-

Staff: YES
Service users: YES
Other public sector organisations: YES
Voluntary / community groups / trade unions: YES
Others, specify: NO

5. Are there linkages to other Agencies/ Departments?

The Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership (HASP) will coordinate delivery of the 4 Year Age Friendly Belfast Plan. It will submit a detailed action plan to the World Health Organisation (WHO) with agreed indicators. HASP will periodically monitor and publish progress against the action plan and report to council. After four years HASP will evaluate the project, identify successes and areas for future improvement. The evaluation report will be submitted to BSP and subsequently to WHO. The HASP Age Friendly team will also provide specific support for the development of the positive ageing campaign, Age Friendly charter, intergenerational work and the Age Friendly Convention.

Lead organisations as identified will oversee the delivery and performance management of relevant aspects of the Age Friendly action plan and report progress to HASP.

HASP involves the following organisations

Age NI
The Alzheimer’s Society
Belfast City Council
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Belfast Healthy Cities
The Department for Infrastructure
Department for Communities
The Department for Infrastructure
Engage with Age
Greater Belfast Seniors Forum
Linking Generations Northern Ireland
North Belfast Senior Citizens Forum
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
The Public Health Agency
Volunteer Now

Section B

Information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts for equality and good relations

6. Outline consultation process planned or achieved

In compiling this report we have drawn upon a range of data, research reports and strategy documents. We specifically refer to the following pieces of work:

Belfast City Council Residents Surveys 2021.A stratified sample meeting quotas for gender and age that covered all district electoral areas and wards across Belfast.
The Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing Key findings report (the NICOLA Study), Queen’s University Belfast

NISRA’s NINIS site and their Belfast Age-friendly profile Consultation events and partnership workshops/meetings took place:

Location	Details
Shankill Older People’s Forum	10 people
South and East Belfast Older Peoples Forums	8 people
West Belfast Seniors Forum	28 people
Healthy Living Centres	2 organisations
Age Friendly Workshop in Belfast City Hall (older people/representative groups from north, south, east and west of the city)	80 people
Public and Voluntary Sector Stakeholders	40 people/orgs
Postcard responses	300 people

7. Available evidence

What evidence / information (both qualitative and quantitative) have you gathered to inform this policy? Set out all evidence below to help inform your screening assessment.

It is important to record information gathered from a variety of sources such as: monitoring information; complaints; research surveys; consultation exercises from other public authorities.

Section 75 category	Details of evidence / information and engagement
Religious belief	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.
Political opinion	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city. There is a Belfast City Council All Party Reference group on Older people that meet quarterly to direct the work of Age Friendly Belfast, they meet with The Greater Belfast Seniors Forum at least annually to discuss issues facing older people.
Racial group	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. We ensured older BME groups came to consultation event Belfast Health and Social Care Trust completed a report Black and Minority Ethnic Groups: Health and Wellbeing of Older People in Belfast, that we used to identify barriers and create actions.
Age	While the WHO Age Friendly process is aimed at older people the plan will benefit all ages. “Older person” means a person aged 60 or over. as stated in the Commissioner for Older People Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 We will present the draft plan to BCC youth Forum and ask for feedback.
Marital status	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.
Sexual orientation	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city. We ensured older LGBTQI+ groups came to consultation event.
Men & women generally	Details of the city wide consultation process and evidence gathering are described above. The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city. There are older females than males living in Belfast. Men aged 65 and over make up 6.5 per cent of Belfast’s population, and women aged 65 and over make up 8.5 per cent.
Disability	Research and work with older people tell us that accessibility is a key consideration when designing services that meet their needs. For some older people accessibility can be compounded by one or more of the additional factors below. The Age friendly Belfast plan considers the additional needs of older people: Living with a physical disability Living with a sensory impairment Living with dementia Living with mobility issues Living with a long-term illness
Dependants	A number of the older people consulted would be carers, either for partners, other relatives or grandchildren

8. What is the likely impact (indicate if the policy impact is positive or negative) on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories? What is the level of impact?

Section 75 category	Likely impact?	Level of impact? Minor/Major/None
Religious belief	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Political opinion	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Racial group	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Age	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city and subsequently all ages.	Minor/Positive impact
Marital status	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Sexual orientation	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Men and women generally	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact
Disability	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city. A lot of issues relating to older people also affect disabled people so will benefit them as well.	Minor/Positive impact
Dependants	The Age Friendly Belfast Plan is a city-wide plan that will benefit all older people in the city.	Minor/Positive impact

9, Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within the Section 75 equalities categories?

Section 75 category	If Yes, provide details	If No, provide reasons
Religious belief		Same equality of opportunity for all older people
Political opinion	Yes, through Pensioners Parliament and Belfast City Council All Party Reference Group on Older People	Same equality of opportunity for all older people
Racial group	Belfast Health and Social Care Trust completed a report Black and Minority Ethnic Groups: Health and Wellbeing of Older People in Belfast, that we used to identify barriers and create actions.
Age	The plan is primarily aimed at older people although there will be intergenerational activities delivered through the plan.
Marital status	There are a number of specific groups for men, Mens Sheds and Men United and also some ladies only groups PWA, Knot and Natter etc but also a large number of mixed groups and activities	Same equality of opportunity for all older people
Sexual orientation	We plan to work with Cara -friend current and future needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender older people in Belfast so we can act on them.
Men and women generally		Same equality of opportunity for all older people
Disability	Developing a joined-up approach to engagement and co-design with older people on local and city centre physical developments. Development of age friendly design principles which can be used to inform existing and planned provision and physical developments. Review and improve access to seating and toilets, particularly in the city centre and parks and open spaces. Continue to raise awareness and provide training for service providers on the access needs of older people.	Same equality of opportunity for all older people
Dependants	Continue events for carers in particular Dementia Friendly Carers cafes and Bring your Grandparents to the park day

10. To what extent is the policy likely to impact (positive or negatively) on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? What is the level of impact?

Good relations category	Likely impact?	Level of impact? Minor/Major/None
Religious belief	People from all over the City attend city wide events together	Minor/Positive impact
Political opinion	People from all over the City attend city wide events together	Minor/Positive impact
Racial group	People from all over the City attend city wide events together	Minor/Positive impact

11. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?

Good relations category	If Yes, provide details
Religious belief	Yes, People from all over the City attend city wide events together
Political opinion	Yes, People from all over the City attend city wide events together
Racial group	Yes, People from all over the City attend city wide events together

Section C

Belfast City Council also has legislative obligations to meet under the Disability Discrimination Order and Questions 12-13 relate to these two areas.

Consideration of Disability Duties

12. Does this proposed policy / decision provide an opportunity for the Council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?

Explain your assessment in full

Research and work with older people tell us that accessibility is a key consideration when designing services that meet their needs. For some older people accessibility can be compounded by one or more of the additional factors below. The Age friendly Belfast plan will consider the additional needs of older people:

Living with a physical disability
Living with a sensory impairment
Living with dementia
Living with mobility issues
Living with a long-term illness

13. Does this proposed policy / decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?

Explain your assessment in full

Yes, there will be events, activities, influencing new infrastructure work, improving accessibility that will actively increase the participation of disable people in public life. More local events that would be easier for disabled people to access.

14. Multiple Identities.

Specify relevant Section 75 categories concerned.

Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities

There is no information on the impact of the plan on people with multiple identities, however it is envisaged that there will be opportunities for people with multiple identities to participate, resulting in a positive impact.

15. Monitoring Arrangements

Section 75 places a requirement the Council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place in order to assess the impact of policies and services etc; and to help identify barriers to fair participation and to better promote equality of opportunity.

Outline what data you will collect in the future in order to monitor the impact of this policy / decision on equality, good relations and disability duties.

Equality	Good Relations	Disability Duties
We will carry out a midway survey and an end of plan survey and monitor complaints	We will carry out a midway survey and an end of plan survey and monitor complaints	We will carry out a midway survey and an end of plan survey and monitor complaints

Section D

Formal Record of Screening Decision

Title of Proposed Policy / Decision being screened Age Friendly Belfast Plan 2018-2021

I can confirm that the proposed policy / decision has been screened for –

Equality of opportunity and good relations
Disabilities duties

On the basis of the answers to the screening questions, I recommend that this policy / decision is –

*Screened Out – No EQIA necessary (no impacts)

Provide a brief note here to explain how this decision was reached: There is no negative impacts identified.

Screening assessment completed by (Officer level) -

Name: Gillian McEvoy

Department : C&NS

Date: 2 August 2022

Screening decision approved by -

Name: David Sales

Department: C&NS

Date: 2 February 2023

Save the final version of the completed screening form and forward to the Equality and Diversity Officer – [email protected]. The screening form will be placed on the BCC website and a link provided to the Council’s Section 75 consultees.

For more information about equality screening contact –

Lorraine Dennis

Equality and Diversity Officer Belfast City Council

City Hall Belfast BT1 5GS

Telephone: 028 9027 0511 [email protected]

Equality Screening: Age-friendly Belfast Plan 2022-26