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The adverse impact of austerity on the available capacity of public bodies to give priority to engagement of older people means self-determination and older people representing the best interests of older people more generally – needs a fresh impetus if the voice of older people is to be heard and not marginalised. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The paper describes how a new direction for Cymru Older People’s Alliance was shaped, the engagement directly with older people that informed changes and key transitions negotiated to become a charity and form a democratically elected membership, with stronger structures and improved means to ensuring the “voice” of older people is heard.

Co-production, increased citizen engagement and promoting well-being are important new concepts in Welsh legislation but it is only through growing the infrastructure that enables older people to represent their own interests, that these new requirements will produce tangible results and progress can be made.

If we are to challenge ageism and recognise that older people need to be empowered and enabled to make their own decisions, then older people’s organisations need to change and adapt to the prevailing financial climate. This is not an easy pathway but it can be achieved through good planning, strong governance and effective engagement, listening carefully to older people’s views.

The purpose of this papers is to set out the advantages to local communities of independent representation of older people by older people through active and vibrant older people’s forums and groups and the rationale for Councils in Wales to support their revitalisation and development.

This paper describes how semi-structured action research and follow-up discussion and analysis over a two-year period was undertaken by older people with representatives of Older Peoples Forums and groups to identify a strategy to restart and revitalise independent forums post pandemic to represent the voice of older people to government at all levels.

Facilitation of the independent and self-determined voice of older people through genuine co-production with Forums can help Councils meet statutory duties and ensure their policies and services for older people are developed and informed from the direct experience of those receiving them. This will also help address the impacts of an ageing population and meet the national aim to create age-friendly communities across Wales.

This research provides a basis for Councils to work with Independent Older Peoples Forums and groups to restart and regenerate the forums and promote the self-determined voice of older people to government at all levels.

In an ageing society older people should be empowered and enabled to make their own decisions. The principle of self-determination by older people for older people directly and through co-productive engagement with them by local authorities has meaning and purpose that should be promoted and implemented. If age-friendly communities are to be developed across Wales, then collaboration on this basis is required including through independent 50+ forums in localities.