The Network, as we envision it, will be formed and maintained, by students of medicine and allied health sciences. As it stands now it involves three activities:

a. A Website

b. A discussion Group

c. A Communication hierarchy

 

The Website will, first of all, provide a promotion opportunity at the level of the Internet. Our WebPages will serve as a valuable resource to help all students to get familiar with such concepts as active ageing and the life course approach to health. Our Website will also provide information to all students interested in starting promotion and advocacy projects in their communities. It will provide necessary basic information, and the ability to reach similarly and hopefully more experienced students who would provide advice as well as moral support and encouragement. It will also offer a place where activities can be published for others to benefit from. Further, it will serve as a monitoring station for new sites about ageing and new events.

The discussion group, which will be open for anyone to join, will provide both a communication platform and idea exchange opportunity.

The communication hierarchy will provide a representation among students of health sciences of the network in as many countries as possible. We seek to have specific person as a National Coordinator (NC) from each country that will report to the network on a regular basis about issues concerning older people in his/her country as well as seek to promote and advocate the issues previously mentioned. Ideally she/he would also coordinate involving more medical students in his/her country and together they will organize local activities. The NC will also serve as a liaison between all participating students from one country and the network for the network to remain manageable regarding reports and discussions. She/he will also be the national contact person if someone in his/her country seeks advice as to the best means of advocating ageing  issues in his/her country. We hope that by setting up this system, we can provide an efficient way that will allow us to communicate effectively and efficiently without overwhelming anyone so that this platform is sustained and developed.