Engaging Older Queenslanders to Influence Change
Queensland is ageing. By 2050, more than one in five Queenslanders will be over 65.
Older people are not a single group. They are diverse in background, culture, experience and perspective. They are workers, carers, volunteers, leaders and community builders.
As Queensland’s peak body for older people, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland works to ensure their voices are not only heard, but influential.
Engagement is not a one-off consultation. It is a structured, ongoing process that strengthens policy, improves services and builds more inclusive communities.
What This Framework Does
Our Engagement Framework outlines how we:
- Partner with older Queenslanders across metropolitan, regional and remote communities.
- Strengthen representation through diversity.
- Support Consumer Advocates and Local Community Champions.
- Inform policy development with lived experience.
- Build collaborative partnerships across sectors.
It provides a practical roadmap for meaningful, two-way engagement that moves beyond feedback to influence real change.
Why It Matters
When older people are actively involved in shaping decisions:
- Policies are more relevant and effective.
- Services better reflect lived experience.
- Accountability is strengthened.
- Ageism is challenged.
- Communities become more age-friendly.
Meaningful engagement leads to better outcomes for individuals and for Queensland as a whole.