Averil Osborn Memorial Fund

Averil Osborn was known to students, to scholars, to professionals, to practitioners and to representational and advocacy groups across the spectrum of social gerontology as a life-long advocate for older people. Averil contributed to the enhancement of older people's lives through her research and scholarly writings, through popular publications, and through active engagement with older people themselves. Her sudden death in 1994 saddened colleagues and friends in the British Society of Gerontology. To commemorate Averil's life and work the Society has established the Averil Osborn Memorial Fund to support innovative research and dissemination projects which directly involve older people and to spread understanding and good practice.

Averil Osborn

Averil was born in 1944 and trained as a scientist before turning to public policy issues. She had a sharp, analytical mind with a scientist's healthy scepticism for received wisdom, and was always ready to question existing ideas and ways of doing things to promote improvements in society. The work that was to develop Averil's reputation as a social gerontologist began in 1975 when Averil became a research officer in the Lothian Region Social Work Department. She is described by colleagues as 'a superb professional who always set herself exactingly high standards'. She is also remembered for her warmth and gentle humour. In 1982, Averil moved to Age Concern Scotland as Assistant Director for Training and Development. Here she was able to address and bridge what she regarded as disturbing gaps between research and policy and practice. In the 1990s she joined the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which provided a further avenue for her commitment to change. Averil collaborated with many people in the public services, academic world and voluntary sector, many of whom researched especially challenging issues in social policy. She remained throughout deeply committed to action research. For her, the energy and money invested in social research were only well spent if its results were widely disseminated, informed public debate and catalysed policy change. She embraced the highest standards of professional integrity and performance and expected them from those she worked with. She is remembered with deep affection and admiration. Averil Osborn died in July 1994.

The Aims of the Research Fund

The mission of the Averil Osborn Fund is to encourage and support research that enhances the quality of life and citizenship of older people. The Fund was established in 1994 and is administered by a Panel nominated by the British Society of Gerontology (Registered Charity 264385) through which its accounts are audited. The Fund wishes particularly to promote the involvement of older people in projects alongside researchers, professionals and practitioners. The Fund is used exclusively for the direct support of the projects, and no other administrative or meeting expenses are drawn.

From 1995 to 2006, 28 projects have been funded. More details of past projects and their findings can be found in Lorna Warren and Tony Maltby, 'Averil Osborne and participatory research', in A. Warnes, L. Warren and M. Nolan (eds) Care Services for Later Life , Jessica Kingsley, London, 2000, pp. 291-310.

Publication from the 2006 sponsored project:
An Evaluation of the Role and Purpose of Research Undertaken with Older People.
Anthony Gough, Mohammed Afzal and Graham Bagnall.

Awards objectives and policies

The aim of the Fund is to encourage and support research which will improve the quality of life and citizenship of older people. The Fund wishes to support original studies that involve older people at all and any stages (design, execution, interpretation, dissemination). Awards in the range £500-£3000 are made each year.

Essential features of an Averil Osborn project

• projects in which older people lead or directly participate
• those following an agenda agreed with older people
• favoured types of projects

New initiatives or projects which build on existing work

• projects with a clear dissemination strategy
• projects with a clear timetable and specific outputs or products
• all methodologies and approaches are considered
• all disciplines and forms of professional involvement are considered.

Conditions and restrictions

• The outcomes must be reported to the Panel. A normal condition of a grant is that an article is submitted to the BSG's Generations Review, or a paper is presented at the Society's annual conference. Grants will not be made to support doctoral research nor towards the general funds of an organisation .
• The costs of providing services are not funded.

How to prepare an application for a grant

Applications should have a cover sheet with points 1 to 10 as below, and no more than three additional A4 pages. The cover sheet should set out:

1. Name of applicant(s).
2. Affiliation or employer of applicant(s). If none, the project is expected to be in association with a collaborating research, statutory or voluntary body.
3. Address, telephone and fax numbers, and email address.
4. Name of collaborating organisation (if applicable).
5. Contact person in collaborating organisation and address details (if applicable).
6. Title of the proposed research.
7. Abstract or summary of 50-80 words.
8. Amount applied for.
9. Start date and period over which the work will be undertaken.
10. Name of the person responsible for reporting back to the panel.

The further pages should describe the background, objectives, method and design, anticipated outcomes or outputs (e.g . publications, products, models of service delivery), and the dissemination plans of the project. They should conclude with the costs of the project, specifying the major items. Applicants without research experience are strongly advised to seek the guidance and advice of an experienced researcher. It is stressed that the involvement of older people in the design and conduct of the research is particularly encouraged, and particular attention should be given to the benefits for older people, and to publication and dissemination.

Either:  send a copy of your application to:

Sue Venn
Department of Sociology
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XH

OR: email your application to Sue Venn at s.venn@surrey.ac.uk

All applications will be acknowledged.

 

The Awards Panel

Clive Newton, Chair , Age Concern England
Sue Venn, Secretary to the Panel, University of Surrey
Robert Peacock, Edinburgh
Susan Tester, University of Stirling
Kate Davidson, University of Surrey

How to make a donation

Donations of any amount are most gratefully received. Single payments may be made or a commitment over a number of years. Donations may be covenanted or made under the Gift Aid Scheme sanctioned by the Inland Revenue for tax reimbursement – details are available from Sue Venn. S.Venn@surrey.ac.uk

To donate by cheque:

Cheques should be made payable to the ‘British Society of Gerontology (Averil Osborn Fund)’ and sent to:

Averil Osborn Fund
British Society of Gerontology
PO Box 607
York
YO26 0EQ