Introduction

The aim of this strategy paper is to outline the objectives to help the Society develop, not just over the next two years, but into the future. The financial position of the Society is stable, thanks to the efforts of a number of key members and therefore we can be more optimistic about achieving these goals.

Just to remind us all, the key aim as identified in our Constitution is:

2.1 For the furtherance and promotion of gerontology in particular: to increase, disseminate and apply knowledge of the social and behavioural aspects of ageing in human beings by means of research, teaching and education, and to support, encourage and raise standards of research, service and teaching in gerontology, and to aid researchers, teachers and practitioners in their professional work by such methods as the Society may from time to time determine.

Clearly, in order to achieve our long term goals, the Society has to remain solvent as a minimum but ideally needs to generate a surplus so that we may increase the capacity of the Society to meet BSG objectives. The main sources of income are: surplus from the annual conference, membership subscriptions, surplus from Ageing and Society and royalties from publications. Each of these sources has fluctuated considerably since 2000, but in recent years, the conferences have provided us a financial lifeline. The main expenditure items are Generations Review (editorial and distribution), membership administration, Executive Committee expenses, and subscription to external learned societies/organisations. The first two have been addressed largely through the decision to change the format and delivery of the services, but we are in early days yet and cannot compute what savings we will have made. We are unlikely to reduce our outgoings of the last two, but if we develop as planned, these expenses should become a benefit to, rather than a drain on our resources.

The following sections outline our five key objectives and actions which will address the principal aims of the Society. We will establish Working Parties (WPs) to examine each of these objectives. These WPs will comprise core Executive Committee members and other co-opted members of the Society as appropriate and agreed by the Executive Committee. Each WP will be expected to produce regular reports for the Executive Committee with recommendations as to how these objectives can be achieved.

These five key areas for examination are:

• Membership
• Conference Liaison
• Publications
• National Profile
• International Relations

OBJECTIVE ONE: Increase the membership of the Society

Increase membership to at least 500 (the threshold for increasing our vote to two with IAGG) and in doing so:

• Increase student membership
• Increase membership of older people
• Encourage membership from diverse disciplines
• Examine methods of offering concessionary subscription for corporate membership

WP suggested composition: Chair: Jenny Hislop, Members: Bernadette Bartlam, Susan Tester (currently co-opted), Karen Baker (co-opt), Kelly Fitzgerald (co-opt)

OBJECTIVE TWO: Conference Liaison

One very important way we promote gerontology is through our annual conference and these are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex to organise.

AIMS:

• Liaise with past, current and future conference and seminar organisers in order to accumulate and pass on best practice
• Generate and update conference organisation guidelines
• Advise on increased attendance, in particular those delegates from diverse disciplines who have an interest in ageing
• Increase student attendance
• Increase profile of gerontology on national and international levels

WP suggested composition: Chair: Vanessa Burholt, Members:, Simon Evans, Randall Smith, Murna Downs (currently co-opted)

OBJECTIVE THREE: Publications

AIM
Increase dissemination of research, teaching and practice in the field of ageing and the life course through books and journals.
This will include overseeing the links between the website and the new online Generations Review, as well as liaison with Ageing and Society.

WP suggested composition: Chair: Julia Twigg, Members: Wendy Martin, Sheila Peace

OBJECTIVE FOUR: Raise the Society’s national profile

AIM

• Increase involvement and maintain a high profile within the British Council on Ageing
• Increase ability to respond rapidly to consultation exercises
• Forge and maintain links with Welsh and Scottish policy projects

WP suggested composition: Chair: Tony Maltby, Members: Chris Phillipson (currently co-opted), Angela Kydd, Kate Bennett

OBJECTIVE FIVE: Raise the Society’s international profile

AIM

• Increase involvement and maintain a high profile within AGE (UK and EU), IAGG and IAGG European Region.
• Detailed examination of feasibility of BCA hosting the 2011 European Region conference
• Disseminate information about the BSG at inter- and multi-disciplinary international conferences

WP suggested composition: Chair: Judith Phillips, Members: Kate Davidson, Mark Faulkner, Ingrid Eyers