§ John RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to enable pensioners to participate more fully in community activities [128135]
§ Fiona MactaggartThe Government has a target of increasing community participation by five per cent by 2006. We believe that increasing the engagement of older people in their communities is particularly important.
The Home Office Active Community Unit leads the cross Government effort to achieve the target. It provides strategic funding for organisations such as Reach, RSVP and the Experience Corps to increase the levels of volunteering by older people. Funding is also given to several mentoring projects that involve older people either as the mentors or mentess.
The ACU also works with other Government Departments to achieve the target, such as the recent collaboration with the Department of Work and Pensions on the production of a pre-retirement pack.
The strategy for increasing community participation is currently being reviewed. Any new strategy will maintain a focus on older volunteers, both at national and local level.