Age-Friendly Innovation Center, OSU College of Social Work
Mission: To innovate with older adults through research, education, and engagement to ensure inclusion and build resiliency to make our communities age-friendly.
Principles: AFIC is committed to a set of principles that guide and ground the work of the Center.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Accessibility
Community Engagement
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, (AFCFC) a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, entered the AARP and World Health Organization international network of Age-Friendly Communities in 2016. This network defines a five-year process for communities across the globe to assess, plan, and implement needed improvements through the lens of older adults. Each community is given access to resources and guidance for how to complete the work and is also given the flexibility to cater the process locally. In 2021, AFCFC launched the Age-Friendly Innovation Center.
In Central Ohio, AFCFC works closely with older adults to understand their challenges, list our community assets, and design ideas for improvement through community-based participatory research and planning. Working together to identify and implement solutions, with the goal of continually showcasing the important impact older adults have in our community. AFCFC has collaborated with agencies, nonprofits, and many others to fund, launch, and evaluate the impact of these projects. Through transportation, housing, emergency preparedness, employment projects and more - our efforts have made Columbus and Franklin County an even better place to live for people of all ages.
The Age-Friendly Innovation Center Scholars is an opportunity for qualified college students with the opportunity to obtain an understanding of aging, the international age-friendly movement, and practical work experience with multi-disciplinary leaders.
Scholars work for Age-Friendly in a variety of capacities, depending on the nature of current priorities and projects. Scholars will have the opportunity to attend Age-Friendly team meetings, program work groups, focus groups, community meetings, walk and transit audits, and many other events and forums during their employment period.
Scholars will:
• Gain practical cross discipline work experience
• Increase their understanding of incorporation of the aging and accessibility lens to respective major
• Receive mentorship from an interdisciplinary team, with the opportunity to build on-going mentoring relationships outside of employment
• Build their professional network through connection to interdisciplinary leaders through Age-Friendly partners and contacts
• Participate in research, publications and presentations as available
• Receive the Age-Friendly Scholars designation, to be included on resume/CV
Age-Friendly seeks students studying various disciplines in social work, city and regional planning, public policy, public health, health sciences, and public administration. Those outside of these majors are still encouraged to apply if they are interested in the work.
