The medal ceremony where grey is gold
As the Paris Olympic Games hurtles towards the finish line, let’s turn our attention to the Everald Compton Community Champion Medal.
Every four years, the Olympics and Paralympics place the spotlight on those individuals and teams who have been outstanding in their chosen fields.
While the race for medals in Paris happens in the blaze of media attention on a global stage, there’s also room to celebrate those older Australians who quietly achieve wonders in their own communities and across the nation.
That’s where the Everald Compton Community Champion Medal comes into play.
To be presented for the first time in October, the medal reflects the long-held belief of National Seniors Australia, and our founder, Everald Compton, that “grey is gold”.
Everald chaired the advisory panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians which, in 2011, released a report titled Realising the economic potential of senior Australians: turning grey into gold.
The “grey into gold” concept goes beyond economics; it’s an acknowledgement that seniors contribute in many tangible ways to their families, their communities, and their country.
This includes volunteering – which takes many forms ranging from babysitting for family members to working at an op shop, coaching junior sports, or serving on the board of a non-profit community organisation – and philanthropy.
Of course, many older Australians choose to remain in the workforce beyond traditional retirement age, often excelling in jobs that are otherwise hard to fill, including aged care, hospitality, and seasonal farm work.
National Seniors has been a strong advocate on behalf of those retirees who wish to continue to work. (Follow the links for our Fairness in Retirement Income and Let Pensioners Work! campaigns.)
As Everald and his co-authors noted in 2011, “The challenge is to re-shape workplaces, communities, and society to facilitate the contribution of senior Australians rather than to reinforce outdated approaches that create barriers to their participation and lead to disengagement and social isolation.”
With the Everald Compton Community Champion Medal, we are acknowledging the contributions already made by so many seniors.
The medal honours Everald’s outstanding contribution to the nation and celebrates the everyday champions who are “turning grey into gold” with grassroot experiences and selfless contributions that make a significant difference in their communities.
It also reflects NSA’s values of fairness, excellence, and respect exemplified by Everald’s own experience and achievements.
The award will be announced on 1 October, which is the International Day of Older Persons.
For more information about the award, including how to make a nomination, click here.
