Age Concern Taupō chairwoman Val Hoogerbrugge (left), Taupō Mayor David Trewavas, Age Concern chief executive Karen Billings-Jensen and Age Concern Taupō team leader Nikki Halford. Photo / David Beck
Age Concern Taupō chairwoman Val Hoogerbrugge (left), Taupō Mayor David Trewavas, Age Concern chief executive Karen Billings-Jensen and Age Concern Taupō team leader Nikki Halford. Photo / David Beck
Age Concern has launched a new brand to attract new people through their doors, but its core business of supporting older kiwis to live their best lives will still be their key focus.
Age Concern New Zealand unveiled the new logo on July 1 at Parliament and last Friday AgeConcern Taupō held a local launch attended by Age Concern members from all over the Central North Island as well as Taupō Mayor David Trewavas.
Age Concern New Zealand Board president Wayne Bradshaw says the refresh is timely because the charity has changed significantly since it launched more than 70 years ago.
"The makeup of our population has changed too - we're getting older, living longer, and we're more diverse than ever before," he said.
"Our organisation is changing what we do and how we look to better reflect our older population in New Zealand. We also have an ageing population with those over 65 making up one quarter of our population.
"Our new brand reflects the leadership role we have and the respect we hold for our elders. We are shifting the perceptions of ageing, standing up to ageist attitudes and policy, and focusing on programmes and activities that support dignity, wellbeing and social connections."
New chief executive Karen Billings-Jensen, who was in Taupō for the local launch, says it is "an amazing time to be leading this trusted organisation".
"Age Concern's identity had been one of service in the past, with a focus on the concern and serving people's needs. That is an important part of our history, and still in our DNA, but the changes we are making are about being bold, progressive, and vocal on issues affecting older people and their families.
"Leadership, mana and community are the qualities our new brand represents. The bold contemporary design uses individual Huia feathers to suggest the mana of our older adults and the leadership role Age Concern takes. The circle of three feathers portrays the concept of community, friendship, and respect - all things we value and uphold."
Age Concern Taupō's new logo. Photo / Supplied
Age Concern Taupō chairwoman Val Hoogerbrugge says the group has always played an important role in the Taupō community, both in terms of support and advocacy for older people.
"We have three part-time staff. An office administrator who looks after the paperwork and finances. We have a field worker who goes out and does house visits and people come and visit her - she connects them with various services and helps them with problems that pop up such as needing a doctor or elder abuse.
"Then we have our team leader who is in charge of our visiting services, we have lots of volunteers who visit older people, and she does the health promotion. We have various seminars that are health-focused, and we have a really good newsletter that goes out every three months. We're here to support old people and make sure their lives are as good as possible.
"[The new logo] is a bit of a refresh. We've been going for 70 years and we seem to be in a time where people are reflecting more on the world and what's going on. There was a lot of discussion but we have kept the name Age Concern, there was a lot of consultation on it all. I think the logo will help raise our profile and get some new interest."
Taupō Mayor David Trewavas says Age Concern Taupō is an important part of the local community.
"It's a marvellous organisation. When you get into your senior years, there are a lot of lonely people, people from different backgrounds with lots of learning to do.
"Age Concern Taupō is a wonderful organisation for helping those people through it. They hold regular events, catch-ups and morning teas, and help them with any other services they might need."
He says the council works closely with Age Concern Taupō.
"We have regular catch-ups and we're rebuilding Waiora House so they'll have a nice new home as well. Quite often it is a sector of the community that is forgotten about so Age Concern keeps in regular contact. People have different demands and needs as they get older so it's important we know about those."
