Blog post contributed by Pat Spadafora, Country Liaison, Canada, Pass It On Network

The Pass it On Network was co-founded by Jan Hively (United States) and Moira Allan (France). Under their dedicated leadership, the network launched in San Francisco in 2013 and recently celebrated its 5th anniversary as a global peer-learning network for active aging. Some of the values underpinning the work of the network include the commitment to building on the strengths of older adults, keeping ourselves active and functionally independent and the importance of self determination. As the network has grown and evolved, a significant milestone is the network’s new accreditation as a member of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on Ageing.

I have recently joined the network as a liaison for Canada. With each exploration of the website, each read of the newsletter and each conversation with the co-founders and other liaisons, I am amazed by the resources available and the experiences of people connected with the network. I encourage readers to have a look at the four pathways to get a sense of the broad scope of the network.

The pathways include aging, community support, work and economic security and lifelong learning. I think you will find the information about programs, projects and publications available on the community support pathway to be valuable resources that we can learn from and perhaps adapt to the particular interests and needs of the Hamilton community. This pathway focuses on mutual support and building on our community assets.

In addition to the pathways, the network’s newsletter and news kiosk also provide excellent information and links to resources. It is easy to subscribe to the newsletter by clicking on the link provided at the bottom of the page on the newsletter section of the website.

I am excited about both learning from and contributing to the work of the network and hope you will find the information relevant to Hamilton. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]

In the meantime, pass it on!