Welcome to the wonderful world of behavioural placement, where actions speak louder than words. Product placement has been in vogue in various incarnations and degrees of crassness for aeons now but its kid brother is really still in its infancy. The phrase behavioural placement has been coined by US channel NBC Universal, which is the first of the major networks there to admit openly using it to attract marketing money from companies who want to be associated with right-on TV shows.

The idea is that a fast-food giant, for example, may just want to associate itself with a stick-thin actor who happens to like the odd burger or three. The message is “burgers are ok in moderation” in a world worried about the seemingly inexorable rise in obesity. And by the way, we have also added salads and other healthier options to our menu options.

And in case you haven’t realised green is the new black, doing your bit to help save the planet is considered the best corporate message with which to be associated. Even big bad oil companies whose main income derives from er, oil, want consumers to know they’re leading the recyclables charge when it comes to saving the world’s scarce resources.

Mind you, the oil companies have a lot of hard yards to catch up when it comes to overhauling their image. Those of you who remember the long-running TV series Dallas will recall the first thing JR Ewing did when he got home to the plush hacienda after a hard day at the office was break open the decanter. Back in the day the message was clear: liquid black gold meant a life of good booze, fast cars and even faster women. This is probably not the kind of message any big business would now be comfortable with – better the lovely Kathryn.

The difference with behavioural placement compared with product placement is its relative subtlety. The whole idea is that it should be practically subliminal – nobody likes being preached at, particularly when they are sitting down to enjoy their favourite shows.

“People don’t want to be hit over the head with it,” said NBC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker. “Putting it in programming is what makes it resonate with viewers.”

But is behavioural placement really that new or merely an extension of techniques that pre-date Mad Men? After all, before it was legislated out of existence, actors had been swanning around for decades with cigarettes hanging from the corner of their mouths. The viewer couldn’t see the brand in most cases but that hardly mattered – the tobacco barons can only have been all too delighted with role models who portrayed their products in such a positive light.

Will it catch on here? I don’t believe so.

The worry for marketing departments in Ireland will be that the actual message might be so subtle it will soar over the heads of the vast majority of the intended audience. Short of sporting Toyota livery on her car, an ESB logo at the Juice Point and letting viewers know her coffee is Fair Trade, her cup is made by Royal Doulton and her solar panels are courtesy of Kingspan, viewers may simply not notice the feel-good branding effort. This may make the advertisers feel better but would it increase sales?

When it comes to using behavioural placement in Ireland, I wouldn’t bet on any level of enthusiasm from marketing executives who now operate in a world where measurability is increasingly key. Also, marketing in Ireland is hardly known for its subtlety: given a choice between crude and likely effective or subtle and here’s hoping, the former would win out ever time.   

And, of course, there’s always the possibility that at least half the audience will look no further than Kathryn’s wholesome charm and disregard the rest – there would be a real danger the only outcome would be zero emissions from viewers’ pockets.

(originally appeared as Strong Language column, Irish Marketing Journal)

Margaret E. Ward is a journalist and managing director of Clear Ink, the clear English specialists. www.clearink.ie

According to the 2006 Census, more than 160,000 Irish people are carers looking after parents, siblings or chronically ill spouses. Those being cared for may be elderly, chronically ill or have an intellectual or physical disability.

 Not only is it a lonely life, it can also be an arduous one, both physically and mentally. Bernadette Brady, who spent years caring for her elderly mother, a dementia sufferer, wrote in the Irish Times last December: “I was working 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day in total isolation as a sole carer. I was on my knees with exhaustion.”

Lives curtailed
Tiredness is just one cross carers have to bear. A November 2008 report by the Care Alliance found that carers were more likely than the general population to report poor health and lower quality of life, and more likely to suffer from back pain (from lifting a disabled or frail person), depression and anxiety. They have little or no time for socialising or leisure activities, are constantly on call and are often sleep-deprived. They are often overwhelmed and their work goes unacknowledged.

The Carers Association estimates that three million hours of care are provided each week in Ireland by family carers, at a value to the State of more than €2.5 billion a year – a figure that is not included in Ireland’s gross domestic product (GDP). Even this simple fact is a slight, say carers, who feel it’s just another way their contribution is unrecognised.

Punishing cutbacks
To heap insult upon injury, carers have been ever more poorly treated in recent years. The Government had plans to publish a national carer’s strategy, as promised under social partnership and the Programme for Government. This plan was abandoned in March 2009 in what the-then minister for social and family affairs, Mary Hanafin, described as a “difficult decision”. An outrageous decision would be more like it.

Then, in December, both carers’ allowance and carers’ benefits were cut in the budget by €8.50 a week. That might not seem like much but, for someone struggling to get by on little more than €200 a week, it was a significant cut. Still, carers had to count themselves lucky. Before the budget, the Government was also considering taking away the half-rate carers’ allowance, which is paid to those in receipt of another social welfare payment, such as a pension. That payment survived the cuts but it’s questionable if it will make it through another slash-and-burn budget.

Any cut to payments for carers is not only disgraceful but short-sighted. The cost to the Exchequer of these payments is far less than it would be to pay for full-time institutional care for the sick and disabled people concerned. If carers are not adequately supported by the State, they may not be able to continue caring full-time.

It seems entirely obvious that they should be given as much help as they need but the myopic authorities don’t always see it that way.

Need for leadership
In some cases, it’s not necessarily more money that is required but for someone “on high” to take responsibility of support for carers and put in place a standardised, over-arching system, rather than the uneven patchwork of help options currently available.

A home care package scheme, that can include anything from home help to physiotherapy to cash payments, is in operation. However, as Caring for Carers pointed out in February, this scheme is not available nationwide. It is implemented on an ad-hoc basis and there are no national guidelines for the operation of the scheme or admission to it.

Furthermore, although annual respite care grants of €1,700 are available to carers, the respite system is somewhat piecemeal, with care provided by the HSE in some areas and by voluntary organisations in others.

In any case, carers need more than a week or two’s respite a year. They need regular respite services, including some night-time respite care, so that they can, even once every so often, get a full night’s sleep.

Let’s care for carers
While improved State support for carers may be a long time coming, there is plenty that the rest of us can do for carers. They need practical and emotional support from family and friends; an hour off every now and then or a quick chat on the phone could make the world of difference to someone.

As our population ages, it’s inevitable that more and more people will become family carers, so it’s ever more imperative that their valuable role in society is recognised and rewarded.

Carers’ Week (www.carersweek.ie) runs from June 14th to 20th and comprises dozens of events for carers, including social outings

Useful websites
Age Action Ireland: www.ageaction.ie
Carers Association: www.carersireland.com
Caring for Carers: www.caringforcarers.ie
Care Alliance (an umbrella organisation for family carers’ groups): www.carealliance.ie
Carers.ie caters specifically for end-of-life carers

Working it out
It’s time for employers to wake up and smell the arthritis cream. Actually, that’s a sad little joke based on the bizarre attitudes Irish companies have to older workers. Organisations need to realise that growing older does not mean you, or your body and mind, stop working. The employer’s office will not be filled with glasses containing dentures or littered with walking sticks. In fact, an office with older workers might just be more profitable.

Our workforce is getting older and we all need to start doing the maths. As you may have read, the Irish Government recently announced plans to raise the retirement age. As part of the new National Pensions Framework, the age we retire is set to rise to 66 in 2014 and to 68 by 2028. It’s a necessary move because of our pensions deficit and possibly because we are living longer, healthier lives.

By 2025, it is predicted that 36 per cent of Ireland’s population will be over the age of 50. As time goes by, clearly, there will be proportionally fewer young people and more experienced older people available to work.

Companies in denial

However, Irish companies seem almost determined not to think about the greying of their workers. In 2008, the Manpower Ireland Older Worker Survey found that, despite almost 70 per cent of the average workforce currently being aged between 30 and 45, 72 per cent of employers failed to recognise that the average age of their employees will inevitably increase in coming years.

A year earlier, the same survey found just 9 per cent of Irish employers had strategies to recruit older workers and barely a quarter had put in place plans to retain older staff members after retirement age.

 It’s time for the corporate world to wise up and begin to harness the power of the silver worker.

Silver workers

There are obvious benefits to employing older workers and to encouraging them to stay in the workforce past 60 or 65. In 2006, Entrepreneur magazine found older workers were more likely to be committed, detail-oriented, punctual, honest, efficient and confident, among other positive traits.      

In June 2009, a study by the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College found older workers were far more likely to be resilient and cope better than their younger colleagues during times of economic downturn.

Time for a rethink

Given the value older people can bring to the workplace, the Irish corporate world certainly needs to move away from forced retirement, which remains prevalent and effectively dismisses workers on simple age grounds, although they have a wealth of experience and may still retain ample energy and enthusiasm for their jobs.

 Our managerial culture needs to overcome age stereotyping. Bosses have to avoid making silly age-based assumptions about workers. Just because someone is over 55 or 60 doesn’t mean they are going to be a fuddy-duddy or a stick-in-the-mud. Old dogs can learn new tricks in the workplace. It’s also important to recognise the different perspective and insights older people can bring to the workplace.

 With a little imagination, employers can devise ways to motivate and encourage older employees by giving them new challenges, and providing training and education – people of all ages gain job satisfaction through being given responsibilities and having a sense of accomplishment.

 A separate study by the Sloan Center on Aging and Work found that people over 50 are more likely to stay in employment if they can control their hours, keep some autonomy and learn new skills.

Looking ahead

Companies and organisations also need to make practical adjustments to facilitate what is known in the US as the ‘silver tsunami’, or the increase in older employees. Sometimes it’s as simple as providing larger computer screens to those with poor eyesight. More generally, however, employers need to provide more flexible working arrangements and modify job specifications to suit workers in their 60s.

 Instead of pushing someone out the door at 60 or 65, it makes sense to implement phased retirement or other compromise solutions, such as shorter working weeks, switching to occasional consulting work, telecommuting, decreasing the number of shifts spent working antisocial hours and moving older people to less physically taxing work, if relevant.

Smart thinking

A recent article in The Economist gave an example of how a blue-chip company sought to accommodate older employees. BMW conducted an experiment in which it staffed a production line entirely with older workers. At first “the pensioners’ line” was less productive. However, the firm brought it up to the level of the rest of the factory by introducing 70 relatively small changes, such as new chairs, comfier shoes, magnifying lenses and adjustable tables, according to The Economist.
 

Irish workers are getting older. The silver tsunami is an unstoppable tide. The  companies and organisations that recognise this, and allow for it now, will enjoy a successful longevity.

For more information on this subject read the article Challenging the silver ceiling [insert link here]

Useful links
National Pensions Framework: www.pensionsgreenpaper.ie/downloads/NationalPensionsFramework.pdf
Manpower Mature Worker Survey: www.manpower.ie/company_information/press_office/main_press_release_mature_worker_survey_2008.asp
Entrepreneur magazine survey: www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/hiring/article167500.html
Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College: www.bc.edu/research/agingandwork
‘The silver tsunami’, The Economist: www.economist.com/business-finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15450864

Miley Cyrus’ (of Hannah Montana fame) kid sister and her parents allegedly signalled clear clothing line intent at a Halloween party last year when Noah appeared decked out in a black lace-up mini dress with matching PVC knee-high boots. Some heavy make-up and bright red lipstick complemented the outfit, leading to some commentators to coin the word ‘prostitot’ to describe her look. Remember, the kid is nine-years-old.

Far from being lauded as an entrepreneurial prodigy, Noah and her parents have become the latest lightning rods for those who blame marketing for the premature sexualisation of children, particularly young girls.

It would be all too easy to dismiss these pre-pubescent beauty queens as some sort of irrelevant Americana freak shows but that would belittle the considerable influence celebrities (manufactured or otherwise) have in marketing products. Time magazine last year named big sis Miley Cyrus among its 100 most influential people on the planet.

Targeting the tween influencers
Tweens have traditionally been classified as pre-teens from eight years up. These young ones have left Dora the Explorer behind and are starting to identify more with, gulp, Lindsay Lohan. No longer small children, tweens are starting to develop their own sense of identity and there is a lot of money to be made by tapping into their search for identity.

Children – particularly young girls – as young as six now seem to be fair game for marketing techniques focused on beauty, sexuality, relationships, and consumerism. Unlike many of their parents, tweens have never had to learn about computers and the Internet has always been here. Social networking is a natural part of their lives and a popular way for advertisers to reach them.

When it comes to viral marketing, some of the techniques employed by marketing experts to target tweens are nothing short of insidious. A Los Angeles firm GIA – short for Girls Intelligence Agency (www.girlgames.com) has registered up to 50,000 eight-year-old “secret agents” to influence their friends to buy certain products, such as mobile phones, clothes and beauty products. The girls who receive the products from GIA client companies are chosen for their persuasive personalities – alpha females or tween queens – whom their friends will want to be like.

“Her peers trust her opinion … We have to approve them. You know, important strategic business decisions are being made off of this eight-year-old and her friends, so we have to make sure she’s the right one,” said GIA CEO Laura Groppe, who estimates the global tween market is worth $335 billion.

The whole idea, Groppe says, is “seeding the market with these girls and their close crew of friends, and getting that information (about their preferences) back to the client and, at the same time, these girls are feeling it’s a privilege … to share this among their peers.”

This is a long way from a product endorsement by girl next door Hannah Montana, replete with baggy jeans and checked shirts.

Parent power vs. pester power
Marketing to tweens is a minefield and some executives seem hell-bent on self-destruction by ignoring the salient point that parent power will always triumph over pester power.

Wholesome Hannah is one thing, slutty Noah quite another. Regardless of who tweens want to emulate, parents of this age group will still have the final say when it comes to purchase. It is highly unlikely that little would-be Noahs’ will be strutting their stuff across Ireland. Even if they could afford the gear, tweens, unlike their elder teen siblings, cannot change in the car on the way to the party.

Parental concern for their children’s welfare will win every time. Marketing to tweens means keeping parents onside. Even Miley Cyrus is having trouble developing her post-Hannah career.

Look at the hordes of mostly early teen and tween girls who dragged their mothers to the sold-out Miley Cyrus concerts at the 02 last year.  Miley traded on her Hannah Montana persona to sell tickets but served up a raunchy set that had jaws dropping and media phone lines hopping as irate mothers vented their anger at the inappropriate nature of the performance.

As Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus may have made the Time magazine list but it is the nature of Disney’s Hannah Montana character that is influential, not Miley herself.

Marketers should remember that tweens don’t hold the purse-strings. If they want to tap a lucrative tween audience, they will have to keep responsible adults happy too.

Margaret E. Ward is a journalist and managing director of Clear Ink, the clear English specialists. Her daughter is a tween.
www.clearink.ie

But this is exactly the kind of humorous initiative we should be welcoming. In fact, the more of its ilk we foster, the better chance our economy will recover and we and our children will be able to earn a living in Ireland. The cognoscenti may hate it but we should embrace it.

Living up to the promises
Now that the ashes of the Celtic Tiger lie strewn beneath empty housing developments across the land, it’s time we examined every bit of the €155m marketing budget we as taxpayers have made available to Tourism Ireland this year and make sure we do our part to live up to the billing.

Considerable wads of dosh were spent ‘greening’ The London Eye, The Empire State Building and other iconic landmarks for St Patrick’s Day but what exactly is the image of Ireland most likely to attract overseas visitors? Personally, give me a theme park over a technology park any day.

I would love to visit a country replete with blue-eyed, dark-haired men with mischievous twinkles in their eyes, comely maidens dancing at the crossroads, freckle-faced children with mops of red hair and auld wans sinking foaming pints of the black stuff as they play traditional music and sing of days gone by.

In fact, I wouldn’t mind living there either! A bit of paddywhackery wouldn’t do us any harm – imagine an Ireland minus drugs (other than alcohol and tobacco of course), street crime, daily gang shootings and filthy cities and beaches? But I digress.

Greening of the economy
I am not getting all maudlin about the so-called good old days with pigs in the parlour but if we want to make sure mass emigration remains firmly rooted in the past, attracting tourists here is fundamental. Tourism was worth an estimated €5.2 billion to the economy last year, despite a 17% fall on the 2008 figure. That translates to a lot of jobs.

That’s why it is absolutely crucial we get this country right as a product – we can’t afford to get it wrong. I challenge those who rise their eyes to heaven when they read about the National Leprechaun Museum to think again. So what if Darby O’Gill and the Little People and Finian’s Rainbow are a lot of tosh – they sell Ireland just as apple pie, white picket fences and Sex in the City sell America. And when many Americans visit here they find a little of what the heritage they are seeking in the fairy forts dotted around the country, in the Celtic crosses, in the folklore and in the friendliness they encounter from time to time. It’s just nostalgia for a simpler time.

Ireland is an original place, known around the world for its people. So, get those tourists in here – even if they only see a glimmer of what they are looking for we can sort it out afterwards. We won’t do it by trying to sell something that everyone else has. The prospect of the magical and mystical has sustained generations of tourists – it’s time to park the cultural cringe in favour of boosting the numbers.

A wink and a nod
Despite perceptions to the contrary, Americans in particular are not the naive creatures many of us believe them to be. Really…they don’t actually believe that they will encounter leprechauns when they visit Ireland. They do believe though they will experience a unique brand of history and culture complemented by friendliness, gorgeous scenery and all the mod cons. They expect to have a good time – after all, they are paying top dollar for it.

The problem is, of course, that the tourist is about as likely to find a pot of gold as he is to find the kind of country promoted by Tourism Ireland. At best we are currently pushing a mirage and it’s time we sorted it out – and quickly.

Overpriced restaurants, poor service, litter, ribbon development, ubiquitous begging and lack of public transport are all part of the reality of visiting modern Ireland. Marketing will always put the best foot forward when it comes to selling a product but it cannot operate in a vacuum. 

Cyclists, for example, attracted here by Tourism Ireland’s push to encourage activity holidays will certainly be very active trying to stay upright on crumbling roads replete with speeding motorists seemingly intent on making sure they gain a first-hand Irish experience with the old country. Irish drivers seem to regard those on two wheels as fair game and when I see cyclists abroad towing their kids behind in trailers I ask myself ‘would I feel safe doing the same at home?’ The answer is of course: not on my children’s lives!

We have to sort it out – marrying the mythological with the present shouldn’t be so hard.  Personally, I hope the National Leprechaun Museum applies for a pub licence with a bar exemption for next year – I would look forward to bringing visitors there on Good Friday for a great night’s craic.

Writing and speaking are tools for communicating a message. That’s it. Yet so many things – jargon, legalese, academic-speak, overly formal or informal language, too many words, poor grammar and punctuation – get in the way of good communication.

Clear Ink helps financial services, legal, media, health and technology firms, multinationals, government bodies and semi-states sell their products and services to customers using clear English. Our services include:

• Marketing writing  — brochures, letters, reports, newsletters, websites and more
• Editorial content — articles, blogs and clear English guides on any subject
• Editing and  proofreading — all documents: we make your hard work shine
• Writing skills training courses — Business writing in clear English, Think like a journalist  (advanced), Social media marketing on a shoestring (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, GoogleAds and blogs) and more.

To get you started on your clear English journey, here are our top writing tips:

PLAN (figure out who you are, who you’re talking to, what you want to say)
1. Think of the audience. Before you write, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Who are they? What are they interested in? What do they want/ need from you? If you don’t write for the reader by giving them something they need then you’ve lost them… and all your hard work has been wasted.

2. Specify your purpose. Why are you writing? Be as specific as possible. A detailed objective will help you choose your marketing strategy and writing style.

3. Choose a tone of voice. Formal, academic-style business writing is old-fashioned. Think about how you talk to your customers in person. Replicate this conversational style in your writing. It’s a balancing act but try to keep it professional yet friendly.

WRITE (deliver the message)
4. Treat customers with respect. There’s nothing worse than getting a letter or brochure that’s confusing, talks down to you or scolds you. Always use language that is appropriate to both the reader and the subject matter.

5. Get rid of jargon. Although the words and phrases of your profession and firm are familiar to you, it’s unlikely that most readers know your industry’s jargon. Language should not be a secret society handshake or a code to decipher. Writing is about communicating a message, not trying to impress readers with big words.

6. Look for the story. As humans, we relate to stories. That’s how we all learn and absorb information. Marketing writing is storytelling. Take the reader from the beginning to the end. Don’t jump all over the place. Imagine them asking you “So, tell me about yourself. What do you do? What can your company do for me?”

7. Have a sense of humour. Don’t you like to laugh? Well, so do your readers. Serious is boring. Zzzzzzzz. Sometimes a little unexpected, but appropriate, humour leaves a great impression. It shows you are a confident and relaxed professional – with the human touch.

EDIT (be the reader)
8. Cut, cut, cut. Most of us tend to overwrite. We use 20 words when five will do. Only use what you need to relay your message. If you’re having trouble removing information just put yourself in the reader’s shoes – what do they absolutely need to know?

9. Review your audience and purpose. When you edit, you are looking through a reader’s eyes. Does your document answer the reader’s universal question “What’s in it for me?” How do the words make them feel about you and your business? Will they feel called to action by your words – will they pick up the phone, email or buy your product?

10. Think visually. Marketing documents are not just words on a page. They should be a roadmap of easily accessible information. Do you have strong subheadings, topic sentences and “signposts” for the reader? Is it as visually appealing as it could be? There’s nothing worse than block after block of text to put readers off. Add engaging photographs, tables, charts, graphs where possible. Beautifully written and structured documents are a gift to your potential customers and existing clients so make them sparkle.

Need a hand pulling your marketing plan together? Call Mags on 087 2070495 or email Margaret@clearink.ie (By the way, this is our call to action so please DO it now.)

So, what do you do? Complain to family and friends? Tell everyone how much better things used to be back in the day? There is another option. You could actually do something about it.* (Yes, even in apathetic Ireland.)

Grannies on the rampage
You could, for example, follow the example of the Raging Grannies, a loose but flamboyant collective of older American women who campaign for peace, justice, and social and economic equality.

Sporting large, vividly-coloured hats and using street theatre to get their message across, the Raging Grannies protest on all sorts of hot-button issues, including banking reform, immigrant rights and the environment. As their website says, they deliberately set out “to shock with their unladylike antics” and they seem to have a marvellous time doing it.

The Grannies are part of a wider global movement that sees older people becoming actively involved in campaigns for social, political and environmental change. In 2008, we saw a powerful example of the energy and determination of older activists, when thousands took to Irish streets to protest against cuts to the medical card scheme. Ultimately, the government rowed back.

Elder activism
Elder activism, as it is called in America, has a long and proud history. In 1970, a lifelong activist named Maggie Kuhn was outraged at being forced to resign at the age of 65. In response, she founded an organisation to campaign for social and economic change. Initially known as the Consultation of Older and Younger Adults for Social Change, it quickly became known as the Gray Panthers, because of the older profile of its members.

Since then, the Gray Panthers has been an influential activist group, particularly focused on health care reform, but has also campaigned on issues such as ageism, arms dealing, education, the environment, housing, public welfare and workers’ rights.

More recently, Grandmothers Against The War (GAW) has had a high media profile. With their catchcry of “Take us instead!”, GAW members have protested vigorously against the Iraq war, asking the US administration to send their grandchildren home and to dispatch them to the front line instead.

A leading older activist is our own much-respected former President, 65-year-old Mary Robinson. Among the many organisations in which she is involved is an independent group called The Elders, made of up of senior world leaders. The 10 members also include Kofi Annan and Desmond Tutu, while Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi are Honorary Elders. They work both publicly and behind the scenes to help end conflicts and alleviate human suffering.

Get involved
But you don’t have to be a distinguished world leader or have such lofty goals to be an activist. You can become involved in a local community group or small activist organisation. You can write letters, hand out flyers or help to organise information meetings. All you need to be an activist is time, energy and some firmly-held beliefs.

There are many Irish groups, from human rights campaigners to eco-warriors to animal rights crusaders, who are always appealing for volunteers and would be delighted to have some experienced individuals help with their cause. If you’re not sure where to start, have a look at the Volunteering Ireland website (www.volunteeringireland.ie), which lists plenty of opportunities to help with campaigns.

Not only is activism good for the world, it’s also good for you. It provides a social outlet and is a way to meet like-minded people. It can also to lead to an improved sense of self-worth from the quiet gratification born of helping someone people and the sense of deep satisfaction that comes from contributing towards positive change.

So do yourself a favour. Get active and help make the world a better place. Stll not convinced? Then think about all the ripples that might be created when you drop this one activist pebble into the world’s great big pond.

*Article inspired by Martin Luther King Day in the United States, January 18thUseful links

www.raginggrannies.com            Raging Grannies
www.graypanthers.org                 Gray Panthers
www.gawba.org                              Grandmothers Against the War (GAW)www.theelders.org                        The Elders
http://iscp.wordpress.com         Irish Senior Citizen’s Parliament
www.volunteeringireland.ie     Volunteering Ireland