Across Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines there are a growing number of community based grassroots Older People's Organizations (OPOs) promoting older people's well being and participation in their local communities. The values of these OPOs are recognized by national governments, and a number of these governments have produced guidelines on how to establish and organise OPOs. However as yet many of the existing OPOs do not reach the poorest older people nor do they utilize the capacity of their members. However the HelpAge network across the region and in these three countries has over recent years developed effective models of mobilised and active OPOs. The project partners will work with these OPOs and their members, and local and national governments in three countries, to develop policies to strengthen OPOs to reach their full capacity to promote older people's participation in society. The policy recommendations will be presented to local and national governments by the OPOs themselves on 1 October 2014, as part of International Day of Older People. Regional learning and sharing experience will be promoted for wider impact.

Across Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines there are a growing number of community based grassroots Older People's Organizations (OPOs) promoting older people's well-being and participation in their local communities. The values of these OPOs are recognized by national governments, and a number of these governments have produced guidelines on how to establish and organize OPOs. However many of the existing OPOs do not reach the poorest older people nor do they utilize the capacity of their members. 
This project focuses on working through local NGOs in each country with OPOs and local and national authorities to develop policies to support the inclusion of OPOs as a valued community organizations contributing to the development of their communities and the well-being of older people and their families. Success in each country was evidenced by national capacity building initiatives for OPOs being developed, inclusion of OPOs on local development councils, and the development of guidelines to expand OPOs nationally submitted to the relevant Ministries.
The project was implemented by Helpage International in partnership with Foundation for Older Persons' Development (FOPDEV) in Thailand, with Yayasan Emong Lansia (YEL) in Indonesia and with the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) in Philippines.