“New Longevity transforms every extra year we gain. It transforms every stage.”
Ashoka– the social entrepreneurship “Changemaker” network may not be that well known to many of you reading this, as it was not to me, but it was by happenstance it came onto my radar screen last year. Though the social entrepreneurship concept was not new to me, I must have been living in a cave unaware of Ashoka. So I learned that this organization made its roots in 1980, founded by Bill Drayton, an early forerunner in the social entrepreneurship movement.
Now, Ashoka is a truly global entity found in 38 core countries with active ties in 56 others with numerous programs such as Next Now where it is boldly described as a “strategic initiative to build the future before it arrives”, tackling major global challenges from climate change and technological shifts to evolving demographics and social divides – “where many traditional institutions struggle to keep pace”.
To this Next Now, my introduction came by way of making contact with one of its co-leads from Ashoka in Brazil – Marília Duque who is part of their New Longevityinitiative. Actually I had conversations with Marília in 2023 before she joined Ashoka and have found her generous in conversation and exchange of ideas about a global outlook on ageing and longevity. In the near future I will be writing a feature blog interview with Marília to share more of her perspectives
Of the many larger questions asked on the Ashoka New Longevity website, two were music to my ears based on my personal growth in knowledge in this field over the last twenty years or so, and especially over the last two years:
“How can we promote opportunities for intergenerational connection and collaboration?”
“How can we transform healthcare and support people’s role as caregivers?”
Yet these are only two topic areas for Ashoka in its wider ambition “to promote the necessary changes so that all people can age with health and purpose, transforming their realities and contributing to their families and communities”.
Receiving the Ashoka New Longevity monthly newsletter and viewing the on-line resources has been of great value, and moreover I appreciate the South American content including the New Longevity Lab and their Mapping of the Longevity Ecosystem in Brazil.
All this has helped stimulate my thinking towards my contribution over this past two years with the ISO Ageing SocietiesStandardsworking group, Smart Multigenerational Neighbourhoods which is in its final home stretch for publication about a year from now. Much to learn, much to grow, much more to find inspiration in making international connections.
