As we enter a new season, I am excited to let you know that COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria are entering a new phase – including confirmation of our leadership, opportunities for you to contribute to our work and a range of upcoming events as part of October’s Seniors Festival.
I am overjoyed to be appointed as CEO of COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria, following my recent stint as Acting CEO. Backed by an amazing team, including social workers, advocates, and lawyers, I believe that COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria are strongly placed to promote opportunities for, and protect the rights of, older Victorians.
The talents of our staff have made my role and life much easier, and are the key reason why we can continue to provide support and information for those that need it, and ensure issues around ageing are captured by all levels of government. I deeply appreciate the support of the Board, and look forward to leading this organisation to deliver on its vision and potential for years to come.
A key part of this will be ensuring that members, like yourself, have an opportunity to contribute to and augment our efforts. After all, a peak body is only as strong as its membership.
This is why we are so pleased to launch and highlight our event offering as part of the upcoming Seniors Festival in October 2024. The event list provides a number of opportunities for older Victorians — and particularly, our members — to receive information, access support and learn more about our advocacy efforts.
Among our own festival events is Aged Care Navigation in a Nutshell, an event hosted by our Care Finder team that focusses on support for older Victorians as they navigate the aged care system. We’re offering a number of half-hour, bookable slots for those in need of help.
Another of the events we are hosting is Victorian State Budget 2025/26: Putting Ageing on the Agenda, where we will be launching our submission for the 2025/26 Victorian State Budget. We are also inviting members to contribute to the development of our budget asks by taking part in our budget survey. This is a great opportunity for you to inform and guide our advocacy efforts to ensure that ageing issues and older Victorians receive the investment and attention they warrant.
It was pleasing to see our efforts regarding the Festival be recognised by the Victorian Minister for Ageing in the state Parliament. Beyond our own events, I deeply encourage you to engage with and take part in the wider program of the Seniors Festival.
With the current wild weather, please do look after yourself and consider your safety and any plans or strategies you may need to face the impact of our changing climate.