Kilkenny St Patrick's Day Parade 2017- We need you!

We’re busy looking ahead to the next big celebration taking place here in Kilkenny St Patrick's Day and the Parade! The Parade takes place on March 17th 2017 and we need YOU to support this community event and get involved! We're calling out to all local businesses, sports groups, tourist organisations, schools, and clubs and community groups to please take part in this fantastic event. The more people taking part, the merrier! Earlier this year we had approximately 15-20 thousand visitors watching the Parade. This is a great chance to be seen, and also to have a fantastic day out! Contact: Carrie Hart Kilkenny TradFest. www.kilkennytradfest.com www.facebook.com/KilkennyTradfest@KKTradFest

Community Games:

Anyone who interested in entering a sport or helping out with a sport check out the events at communitygames.ie

Contact [email protected]

General Tips and Advice for Age Friendly communication:

1. Consider the needs of the audience to whom you are communicating your massage

2. Don’t assume the customer has an existing level knowledge of the service

3. Always offer assistance to the customer

4. Use clear simple language

Simple Language Checklist

Use familiar words and conversational, personal tone

Be direct and specific

Favour short words and short sentences use short paragraphs

Use pictures or illustrations to make the message easier to understand

Highlight main ideas and important information

Offer assistance

Include contact details where assistance can accessed

For many older people the telephone is a life line to basic services and information. Poor telephone skills can create enormous difficulty and frustration for people making a phone call may be stressful and frustrating experience. As a service provider you should try to minimize that stress as far as possible. You can do this by:

Speak clearly and courteously

Clarify what information / service they are calling about

Offer information clearly and check the caller has heard everything

Being helpful to the caller even if the subject of the call is not strictly speaking your field of responsibility but this means trying to find someone who can help, or someone who can ring them back later

The next Kilkenny Age friendly Seniors Council meeting will take place on the 11th January 2017 in the County Council Office, John Street, and Kilkenny.