Age Friendly Communities - One Voice Wales
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Age Friendly Communities

Introduction

Age Friendly Communities aim to create places where people can age well, remain active and participate fully in community life. They recognise the important contribution older people make to society and seek to remove barriers that may prevent them from living independently and staying connected.

Community and Town Councils have an important role to play in supporting age friendly initiatives, improving local environments and working with partners to help ensure communities are inclusive and supportive for people of all ages.

This page brings together guidance, resources, examples and updates to support councils in developing and strengthening age friendly initiatives, and highlights opportunities to get involved.

Explore this page

Latest Updates

May 2026 – Important Change Coming Soon: Your Landline Is Changing

19 May 2026 – Comissioner’s Newsletter

25 March 2026 – Time to Adapt: Examining waiting times for Disabled Facilities Grants in Wales

March 2026 – Welsh Government update on Age Friendly Wales strategy

What is an Age Friendly Community?

An Age Friendly Community recognises the valuable contribution older people make and ensures communities are designed to support people at every stage of life. The aim is to create environments where older people can remain active, connected and independent.

The Welsh Government strategy Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society, published in 2021, sets out the factors that influence how we age — from health and social care to transport, employment and opportunities for participation. It adopts a rights-based approach that places older people’s voices at the heart of policy and planning, while challenging stereotypical views of ageing.

Age friendly Wales: our strategy for an ageing society | GOV.WALES

Key areas influencing how we age include:

  • Outdoor spaces and buildings
  • Transport
  • Housing
  • Social participation
  • Respect and social inclusion
  • Communication and information
  • Community support and health services

The Welsh Government is working with local authorities and partners to support the development of Age Friendly Communities across Wales, including progress towards membership of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. This approach recognises the importance of creating environments that support people to age well, remain independent and continue to contribute to their communities.

WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities

What Community and Town Councils Can Do

Examples Include:

  • Installing benches or resting places to make outdoor spaces more accessible
  • Supporting lunch clubs, coffee mornings and social activities
  • Sharing clear and accessible information through newsletters, noticeboards and community networks
  • Working with local organisations, volunteers and community groups
  • Promoting local services, events and activities that support health and wellbeing.

Councils can also support this work by engaging with consultations, attending events and working in partnership with local authorities and organisations.

Resources and Guidance

This section brings together practical guidance, resources and organisations to support the development of Age Friendly Communities.

This section provides practical guidance and tools to support councils in developing Age Friendly Communities.

The Welsh Government strategy sets out the national approach to ageing well and highlights the key factors that influence how we age.

Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society

The Centre for Ageing Better has developed resources to support local authorities and communities.

The handbook:

  • Explains what makes a place age-friendly
  • Highlights how different policy areas connect
  • Emphasises collaboration across local services

The mapping tool helps councils to:

  • Identify what is already happening locally
  • Involve stakeholders and older residents
  • Highlight gaps and opportunities

Age-friendly Communities – Handbook 2025

Age-friendly Communities – Mapping Tool

A Guide to Community Mapping& Town Audits

Practical articles to support councils in developing Age Friendly Communities, sharing ideas, examples and approaches that can be applied locally.

  • Building Communities for Every Age – An introduction to Age Friendly Communities, outlining what it means in practice and how councils can take simple steps to create inclusive, supportive environments for older people. Includes guidance on partnership working, local engagement and challenging ageism. Read article.

Research and evidence help inform how communities can better support older residents and guide policy and practice

Case Studies

Community and Town Councils across Wales are already delivering initiatives that support older residents and help create stronger, more inclusive communities.

Examples of local initiatives include:

  • Community lunch clubs and social activities
  • Warm and welcoming community spaces
  • Community transport schemes
  • Intergenerational projects
  • Local initiatives that help reduce loneliness and isolation

Case studies and examples from councils will be added here as they become available.

Events and Webinars

One Voice Wales works with partners to deliver events, webinars and learning opportunities focused on Age Friendly Communities. Community and Town Councils are encouraged to take part in these sessions and consultations to learn more and share experiences.

15 June 2026 – RNID Lunch & Learn (online)

Time: 12:30pm
Duration: 30–45 minutes
Location: Microsoft Teams

About the session

  • RNID will be presenting on their new Hearing Aid Community drop-ins services that are opening up over South and West Wales

Register

[email protected]

Partners

Developing Age Friendly Communities involves collaboration between Community and Town Councils, local authorities, Welsh Government and a range of partner organisations working to support older people.

Key organisations working in this area include:

Get Involved

Community and Town Councils across Wales are doing important work to support older residents and help create inclusive communities.

If your council is delivering an initiative that supports older people or contributes to creating an age friendly community, we would welcome the opportunity to share your work. This helps us highlight good practice and share ideas across Wales.

Councils are also encouraged to take part in events, consultations and wider activity to support the development of Age Friendly Communities across Wales.

You can also complete Age Cymru’s seventh annual survey and share information about the work your council is doing to support Age Friendly Communities.

Complete the questionnaire

For more information contact us at [email protected]