Today we are launching an open call for initiatives building emotional and mental wellbeing in pre-retirement. The deadline for submitting proposals is 5pm Friday 11 September 2015.

This year has been a period of research and consultation as we continue to develop our Transitions in Later Life strand of work. In scoping this field, we set out to explore therapeutic responses to supporting people through difficult later life transitions and supporting people’s material and immaterial needs through pre-retirement and into other transitions in later life.

As the scoping exercise progressed, the research focussed on the context, discussion and interventions about retirement and emotional and psychological support. The research comprised direct contact with key organisations working in the field, a literature review, and a series of design workshops with experts and focus groups with retirees. A blog has also provided a repository of research and can be accessed here.

Transitions in Later Life: Summary of Research and Consultation summarises the main findings of this scoping phase. Based on these findings, the Foundation has decided to focus its support on enhancing emotional and mental wellbeing by drawing on resilience-building approaches and how these can be applied in pre-retirement, equipping people for other later life transitions.

We look forward to the next phase of our work in which we will engage a design agency to help implement the initiative; work with selected organisations chosen from the call; establish a community of learning; and establish an evaluation framework for the strand.

For eligibility criteria and more information about the call, please read the following before submitting a proposal:

Transitions in Later Life: building emotional and mental wellbeing

The proposal form for the call for initiatives can be downloaded here.

***

The long-term aim of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Transitions in Later Life strand is reduced loneliness in later life, with people in mid-life becoming happier, more resilient and better supported to respond positively to transitions in later life.