NORC of Hopkins and NORC of St. Louis Park


Nurturing Our Retired Citizens		Replication Guide

Mayor's Senior Summit

Mission

To give seniors a community forum to discuss concerns, needs, and ideas that lead to a better environment in the community for seniors.

Program Description

The Summit was a large forum designed to bring seniors together to educate them about issues of concern to seniors and draw the attention of the City to their concerns. Speakers presented on several topics such as taxes, traffic safety, transportation, and housing. Time was allowed for seniors to ask questions and make suggestions.

Community Goals Met

Identify seniors who are isolated and engage them in community activities.
Empower older adults to participate in the community.
Educate residents and service providers about existing resources.
Encourage neighbor-to-neighbor activities.

Program Leadership

Mayor
Senior Volunteers
Manager of Adult Services
Senior Program Coordinator
Senior Housing Representatives
City Web/PR designer
NORC Project Coordinator
Community Cable TV Director
Community Outreach Coordinator
City Communications Coordinator
Senior Leaders

Impact

Seniors who attended the Summit, volunteers who work on or at the summit, policy makers who were involved with the summit, community members who saw the broadcast on the local cable TV channel, and members of the community who benefit from policy changes that resulted from the Summit.

Planning Timeline

Planning Process:

Begin 9 – 12 months in advance.

Before the Summit

1.	Seek support of the stakeholders
	St. Louis Park City, School District’s Community Education Department, Senior Program and NORC Project Coordinator
2.	Establish a committee representative of the stakeholders.
	Mayor, representatives from the City, senior program and NORC and area senior citizens
3.	Select a date and reserve facilities.
	Establish sub-committees: Senior chair or co-chairs, Public Relations, Food, Format, Facilities, Volunteer Management and Fundraising. NORC project coordinator writes job descriptions for all committee members and volunteer positions.
	Committee Responsibilities:
	Members of the planning committee are assigned to chair a sub-committee and to give progress reports at each leadership meeting.
	Public Relations:
	Create flyer which could be adapted for postcards and newsprint ads Send invitations to invited guests including Federal, state and local policy makers including Representatives, Senators, County Commissioner and members of the City Council, School Board, Minnesota Board on Aging, Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging, Park Nicollet Medical Clinics and housing and agencies that serve the senior population. Also send invitations to all neighborhood groups, places of worship, and senior buildings. Place ad in the Senior Program newsletter, City newsletter, and the local newspaper. Confirm and explain the role of each panel member. Create the program for the event. Ask entire committee to assist in posting flyers throughout the city. Coordinate the mailing of postcards to targeted groups that the planning committee selected.
	Food and Decorations:
	Set the menu within budget, seek out best providers, order, pickup, set-up, serve and clean up. Make decorations for the serving table, etc.
	Format:
	Establish timing for all the components of the event, define registration process and location, set room assignments based on anticipated participation, outline the general flow of events. Serve as timekeepers at the event.
	Facilities:
	Reserve all rooms, secure necessary audiovisual equipment, define how each room should be set up and communicate with the custodian.
	Volunteers:
	Decide how many volunteers will be needed for set up, clean up, registration, hostess for each room, greeters at each door, elevator operator, membership desk and passing out note cards for questions and evaluations. Gather evaluations.
	Fundraising:
	Establish a budget. Write grants to local foundations, service organizations, and seek support of local businesses.
	Chairs:
	Select the moderators and scribes for each session and hold a training session.
	Hold focus groups to learn the most important issue to address. Selected a group of English Language Learners, random selection of seniors through the senior program and NORC
	Once format is established, select of panel members and speakers for specific topics.
	Post event evaluation meeting : Review the evening and participants evaluations. Decide how to follow up with information gathered. Distribute the gathered information to the appropriate decision makers for review and action steps.

Day of the Summit

Day of event each committee member is responsible for specific tasks, is available to trouble shoot during the event, and gather the scribe notes plus verbal feedback.

Materials needed:

Food, paper goods and serving utensils
Handouts/flyers
Program
Evaluation Forms
Pens
Name tags/name cards
Sign-in sheets
Flip charts/ white boards
Electronic equipment
Room Set-up

After the Summit

Tabulate the survey’s
Evaluate the success of the Summit
Develop a list of ideas to incorporate or change for next year’s committee.
Make recommendations for future Summits
Follow-up on group recommendations
Write follow-up report for grants

Set tentative date for the next year; select a senior chair if possible.

PR Marketing & Dissemination

Community Advertising Plan

Neighborhood leaders – Press release for newspaper one month prior to the summit.
Churches/Synagogues – Press release and posters one month prior to summit
Local daily newspaper – Press Release one month prior
Senior newspaper – Press Release one month prior
Cable Channel – Press Release one month prior to summit to be run several times during the month.
Senior Program newsletter – full-page ad in the issue before the summit.
Social Service Agencies Newsletters – Press Release for the issue prior to the summit.
NORC newsletter – Story and ad in the issue prior to the summit
Local weekly newspaper – two small ads 5”x5.5”, two weeks and one week before the summit. (Fee for the ad)
Nursing Home facilities – posters one month prior to summit
Senior low-income apartments and condos – postcards two weeks prior to summit. (Fee for printing and mailing)
City newsletter, community catalogs dropped at every home including park and Rec. and Community Education

Posters distributed to the following community sites

Rec Center Coffee Shops
Community Center Library
City Hall Jewish Community Center
Local Hospital Local Shopping Center
Local grocery stores Nature Center
Local Restaurants

Process and Outcomes

The program was prompted by a citizen’s observation that the City had a Youth Summit every year but nothing similar focusing on the needs of seniors. The City responded by creating the Mayor’s Senior Summit. It was held three years in a row. The NORC program was presented at the first summit, and NORC played a major role in summits two and three.

Format: The format varied depending on the focus of the program. The first year, there were four sessions in two rooms. The second year, there was a panel presentation. The Summit began with a light dinner in one room and breakout sessions in separate rooms followed by dessert. The third year, there was a dinner before the summit in one room and the summit in another focused on transportation. Less movement is recommended for the seniors.

Timing: The first two Summits were held in the summer, the third in the fall.

Fall turned out to be a difficult time for school personnel to participate because of their involvement of getting the school year started. Attendance at the first two was about the same. In the third year, the weather was threatening and tornado warnings were posted earlier in the afternoon. That clearly kept people home.

Communication of Summit results: A major issue was that people never heard the results of their recommendations from the first two summits. Between the second and third Summits, we made a report to the City Council about the impact of the Summit recommendations on city policy. We also put an article about it in the senior center newsletter and in the local weekly newspaper to inform the community.

Transportation: The second year, a NORC staff person transported several people who requested rides. The third year, the senior center van and driver provided transportation. Taxi vouchers were also tried, but not all passengers were able to remember to take them along to pay for the ride.

Budget

Summary

The tag line for the City of St. Louis Park is “A Community of Choice for a Lifetime.” This Summit engaged seniors to participate with the policy makers to discuss community issues. The visibility of the Mayor on the planning committee and at the event gave the project prestige and clout. The process assured that seniors had the opportunity to participate in defining the community in which they want to live. The Summit proved to be an important vehicle for seniors to make their voices heard and to impact City policy in their regard.

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