Towards age-inclusive sustainable development goals: exploring the potential role and contributions of community development

Worldwide, societies are experiencing unprecedented shifts in their age compositions. For the first time in human history, the number of older people will surpass the number of children that are under the age of fourteen representing one of the 'biggest social transformations' societies will experience. The great shift in demographics demand that sustainable development efforts are age-inclusive and support the well-being of people throughout their life course - including the later life years. The purpose of this article is 2-fold. First, we delineate the linkages between the proposed sustainable development goals (SDGs) and development issues related to older persons and an ageing population, arguing that the success of the SDGs also rests on the ability to address such issues. Second, we explore community development's role in the implementation of the SDGs and addressing age-related development issues, proposing that community development's unique perspectives, values and approaches contribute to innovative development pathways conducive to age-inclusive sustainable development.