Context Mapping

A benefit of working with different regional partners in O4O is that we can look at how easy or difficult it is to generate services with communities and how this relates to contextual factors in different regions. Contextual factors include legal, financial, social, cultural and political issues. Policies relating to health and social care, rural service provision, volunteering, state involvement, transport, technology and housing might affect how helping services for, and with, older people can evolve. We can find out if certain factors in some countries assist helping services to grow and if some factors are barriers and we can learn from each other’s countries. To do this systematically, O4O is developing context ‘maps’.

COMPARISON AND DISCUSSION

Sarah Skerratt of the Scottish Agricultural College presented an interesting and informative discussion of O4O context mapping at the partner meeting in N Ireland. Her presentation can be viewed HERE.
 

Phase 1 of context maps (2009)

All partners have produced the first phase of context maps, covering for their partner region:

• Demographics 

Considers definitions of older people, details about pension age and the state pension provision, as well as detailing the proportions of older people in the country and region.

• Legal issues

Includes the types of organisations which provide services to older people and legal issues involved in setting up different types of organisation.

• Financial issues 

Details financial support available to different types of organisation, the ways in which this support can be accessed and the different sources of funding.

• Socio-cultural issues

Considers the types of services which are provided for older people, how these are paid for, evidence of unmet needs and the different types of organisations which provide services for older people.

• Political context 

Comprises the different political parties’ views on service provision for older people and their perspectives on which organisations should provide services for older people.

• Services 

Looks at how older people can obtain services, who pays for services, which services are provided free/subsidised, defines social care for older people, and the different sources of social care available as well as the types of people who are involved with providing care.

• The state of volunteering 

Details the evidence of volunteering in the partner area, and the differences in participation levels between different age groups. Considers the main volunteering agencies, the ways in which volunteers are recruited and what they do, the legal requirements relating to volunteering, the role of the state and how volunteering is structurally organised. Lists key government documents and the different political parties’ views on developing volunteering in the future.

Phase 1 maps are currently being checked for consistency. An international policy briefing summarising information from phase one maps is being produced.

Draft Phase 1 Context Maps
 

Phase 2 of context maps (2009)

The second phase of context mapping is complete. Partners produced ‘maps’ of the current policy landscape, identifying key local and national policies on:

• Older people and services for older citizens
• Third sector activity in relation to helping older people, for example, social enterprises, and voluntary organisations
• Volunteering
• Rural community sustainability
• Rural community development
   

Phase 2 context maps
 

Phase 3 of context maps (2010)

The third phase of context mapping is complete. Partners defined terms, particularly around social enterprise. They also explained what a social enterprise is, in relation to their region, how they are funded, what they do, whether they are engaged in service provision for older people and whether they can ‘make a profit’.

Phase 3 context maps

 A summary report of all 3 context maps can be viewed HERE