Leadership Exchange on Ageism

The Leadership Exchange on Ageism (LEA) is a first-in-the-nation program designed for executive business, policy, and community leaders. This fourteen-hour intensive, participatory, peer-learning-centered leadership development experience challenges participants to see their role in ending ageism and connects them to tools they can use to be successful. To date, more than 330 leaders have graduated from LEA.

Scroll down to learn more about our goals for the LEA program, how it’s helping to build an Age-Positive culture in Maine, and how our LEA graduates are “flipping the script” on systemic ageism.

Join 330+ Leaders Promoting Age Equity in Maine

Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) is accepting applications for LEA cohorts in 2025. Scholarships are available for LEA through MCOA’s Lasting Legacy LEA Scholarship Fund. The LEA application form includes a field to request a scholarship.

Apply for LEA

Support the Next Generation of Leaders

Your contributions to the Lasting Legacy LEA Scholarship Fund will give Maine’s future leaders the opportunity to:

  • Understand ageism and its far-reaching impacts,
  • Learn practical tools to address it,
  • Empower them to become catalysts for change within their organizations and communities, and
  • Help us build an Age-Positive Maine!
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Goals of the Leadership Exchange on Ageism

Change and enhance our understanding of ageism at all levels

Change the way we feel, think, and talk about aging and older people

Inspire us to take action to combat ageism in the institutions and systems in which we operate

Understanding Ageism to Build an Age-Positive Culture in Maine

Understanding the structure and levels of ageism and how age-bias manifests itself into our society can help us to combat ageism head on to build a more age-positive culture in Maine.

The Levels of Ageism

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Systemic ageism

Discrimination on the basis of age across society.
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Internalized ageism

Internalized ageism lies within individuals.
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Interpersonal ageism

Interpersonal ageism occurs between individuals.
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Institutional ageism

Institutional ageism occurs within institutions and systems of power.

Download the Cycle of Ageism Image

The Structure of Ageism

The aspects of ageism show up in several aspects:
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Messages

Such as cultural beliefs, attitudes, stereotypes and jokes
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Resources

Such as the distrubution of resouces for what people need to survive and thrive
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Rules

Such as policies, laws, practices, as well as unwritten rules

Download the Structure of Ageism Image

Flipping the Switch on Ageism

Solutions to ageism have the exact same structure: messages, rules, and resources. 
Conversations to understand and address ageism helps to dismantle ageism across all levels. 
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Messages

Changing beliefs and attitudes
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Resources

Changing distribution of resources
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Rules

Changing policies and practices

The Learning Doesn’t Stop There

Ongoing support is part of the leadership design.

The MCOA hosts a monthly drop-in meeting for LEA alumni of all cohorts to connect with one another, offer support and continue on their anti-ageism journey. This strong alumni network of leaders continue to share readings, articles, and up and coming research to expand upon the learning from the exchange.

As it’s a leadership cohort – we also invite graduates of the program to turn to each other for support and learning, and share their own experiences as they interrupt ageism.

Tools & Resources for Interrupting Ageism

Here are a few tools and resources to get started on your anti-ageism journey:

What We're Reading Now...

Below are a few readings, articles, and resources that we’re reading now:

Articles

Books

Resources

● Anti-Ageist Birthday Cards – Changing the Narrative
● FrameWorks Institute
● Reframing Aging Initiative
● F.R.A.M.E Image Library
● Age Positive Image Library – Centre for Ageing Better

Proven Results

Mary Lou Ciolfi, JD, MS, Senior Program Manager at UMaine’s Center on Aging issued an evaluation of the first three cohorts of the MCOA’s Leadership Exchange on Ageism (LEA) in June 2023. Key findings of the report include:

  • In its first 24 months, the LEA successfully implemented all of its designed and planned activities and achieved its short-term outcomes.
  • LEA alumni are taking steps to reduce ageism, including sharing information and resources with myriad others.
  • Beyond individual level impact, the anti-ageism messaging that the LEA alumni are carrying into homes, organizations, and communities will, over time, have community-wide and region-wide impact.
  • LEA has also made visible progress towards several medium-term outcomes. The LEA team is well-situated to continue strategizing for achievement of remaining institutional-level, medium-term outcomes, and longer-term societal-level outcomes.
  • This successful start positions the LEA to grow in one or more ways, including replication to other states and communities.

Read the full report or watch Mary Lou give a brief synopsis of her findings.

What are LEA Graduates saying about their experience? 

“I’m so glad I carved out the time to participate in the Leadership Exchange on Ageism.  I made a commitment to myself and the program to be fully present for all four sessions and it was such a good use of my time.  Not only did I get to examine my own implicit ageist bias, but I learned strategies to address ageism in all its forms.  Ageism is so deeply embedded in our culture that it has become completely invisible.  The Leadership Exchange on Ageism has made the invisible now visible and given me the tools to address ageism in our society.” 
Morgan Hynd

The Bingham Program

“I didn’t realize what a great opportunity this actually was. It is exciting to be on the cutting edge of an awareness movement. Participating in LEA was an awakening to a state of mind that we all function in without much thought. It was very valuable to look at concepts of ageism and to start the process of unraveling the pieces of our beliefs to build a more inclusive, supportive and positive system for older adults. Having individuals of all ages, careers and backgrounds in small group discussions really allowed us to look at the case studies from a holistic perspective.” 

Jennifer Sweetser

Presque Isle Housing Authority

History of the Leadership Exchange on Ageism

In 2021, as part of the Power in Aging Project, the Maine Council on Aging designed and launched the first-in-the-nation Leadership Exchange on Ageism, funded by the Point32Health Foundation, Next50 Initiative, and the Maine Health Access Foundation.  In 2024, Age+ in Oregon launched LEA and MCOA is working with several other states to expand and replicate the program nationwide.