Hip Op-eration crew wins Age Concern Dignity Champion award

Hip Op-eration crew wins Age Concern Dignity Champion award

The oldest Hip Hop group in the world, the Hip Op-eration crew from Waiheke Island, have won the 2014 Age Concern Dignity Champion award.

The Age Concern Dignity Champion award marks International Day of Older Persons and is awarded to those who show an outstanding commitment to breaking down ageism and stereotypes and encouraging dignity and respect for all people.

Age Concern New Zealand Chief Executive, Robyn Scott, says she is thrilled the Hip Op-eration crew have won the 2014 Dignity Champion award.

“The Hip Op-eration crew do an amazing job of breaking down barriers between generations, with their motto of ‘Respect and Honour Youth’, as well as challenging typical stereotypes about older people – showing that they can hip hop with the best of them.”

Mrs Scott says that “by using Hip Hop as a communication tool, the Hip Op-eration crew prove that age is not about limitations, it’s about possibilities.”

The crew was brought together by a member of the Waiheke Island community, Billie Jordan, who noticed that many of the senior citizens in the community needed a new lease of life. Billie saw the value in older people and knew that the crew would challenge people’s perceptions of what it means to be older.

“It is people like Billie that show us that we can stand against ageism, and being old doesn’t mean being feeble” says Mrs Scott.

International Day of Older Persons highlights a time to celebrate the value of older people and a chance to acknowledge their contributions to our communities: in the work place, as volunteers, as caregivers and as people, with dreams, aspirations, wisdom and experience.

ENDS

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