CONTEXTThis project began as the result of a Long Term Training Course (LTTC). The representatives of each organization were challenged to give opportunity to youngsters to discuss their problems and find potential solutions. After this, one youngster joined the second phase of the LTTC and established partnerships at an international level. This project is a result of the involved youngsters work and, for this, a true Transnational Youth Initiative. The partners share the same problem, i.e., not only there is a lack of understanding between youth and older generation, but also the youth is not active in intergenerational aspects in local communities and at EU levels.OBJECTIVES- To create a new communication channel among youth and elderly people; - To equip youth workers, leaders and coaches with knowledge, methodology and skills to cope with intergenerational learning;- To create an entrepreneurial spirit among the youth to become more active citizens;- To create conditions and strengthen communication for youth and youth workers to become leaders who would focus on intergenerational issues within local communities;- To build a network of European Youth, who will share best practices.PARTICIPANTSThe target groups of this project are youngsters (16-30 years old) and youth workers.ACTIVITIESThere will be sessions, which purpose is for youngsters and elderly people to share experiences. Youngsters will learn skills and will be empowered by using other community resources. The topics thought by them to include in the sessions are hobbies; dating; music; movies; cooking; board games; among others. The youngsters will make video diaries during the planning and implementation of the sessions, to explore the relationship created between them and elderly people and to develop and improve technological skills.At the end of the sessions, there will be an exhibition. The main goal is to exhibit the final conclusions with pictures of the elderly people when young (and youngsters) and discourses and storytelling from the sessions. The aim of the training course is to give tools to youth workers, not only about the best practices on the intergenerationality topic, but also how to empower the youngsters while they prepare the sessions, implement and evaluate them. The youth workers will develop social and cultural competences and share good practices at EU level. The blended mobility of young people allows the youngsters to have parallel virtual sessions that will match the ones planned in the pension house. They will have the opportunity to share ideas in the preparation phase or will evaluate the session and share the experience with the other participants. After, they will know each other face-to-face and share the experiences and what they learnt over the sessions with elder people. The first transnational meeting is a kickoff meeting to establish ground rules. The second transnational meeting will happen to check project progress and activities taken place at local level so far. Finally, the third transnational meeting will be the time to checking the progress of current activities and to discuss a sustainable strategy for the project.METHODOLOGYThe methodology will be participative, peer-to-peer and non-formal methods. RESULTS- Increased social dialogue between youth and the elderly, through a new communication channel;- Increased knowledge and empowerment among youth, youth workers, leaders, trainers and coaches of intergenerational learning and social responsibility; - Youth more aware about intergenerational issues and their citizenship in this topic;- Network of youth for sharing of best practices in intergenerational learning;IMPACTSYOUTH:- Increased social-relational well-being, feeling of belonging and identification with local community; - Increased participation of youth on topics of development of local community;- Increased self-empowerment on practices and contexts of active citizenship.YOUTH WORKERS:- Improved knowledge and competences on approaches and tools of intergenerational learning; - Increased capability to activate engagement processes on youth in other fields (politic participation, voluntarism).PARTNER ORGANISATIONS:- Increased quality of youth work activities;- Increased capacity to cooperate at EU level and to enhance international strategies.LONG TERM BENEFITSThis project allows building and sharing best practices and developing solutions related to intergenerational topics and a possibility to build an EU network of youth who become active in intergenerational issues. At the same time, the creation of competences in youth people towards employment and education. Also, using non-formal education and fighting poverty and social exclusion on young people, but also on elderly. The main priority in this project “Grandpa, tell me more!” of Europe 2020 is an inclusive society, based on intergenerational exchange of experiences and knowledge.
CONTEXT This project began as the result of a Long-Term Training Course. The rationale of the project was the lack of understanding between youth and elderly. As recognized by the youngsters, the needs were the intergenerational gap between young people and elderly, with a lack of proximity between the two groups. This project created moments that diminished the feeling of being lonely and created conditions for a more inclusive community. OBJECTIVES The main objectives of the project were to create a new communication channel among youth and elderly people; to equip youth workers with knowledge, methodologies and skills to cope with intergenerational learning; to create an entrepreneurial spirit among youth to become more responsible socially and active citizens; to create conditions and strengthen communication for youth and youth workers to focus on intergenerational issues and solutions within local communities and to build a network of European Youth who work in NGOs who will share best practices. NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS Besides the four partners initially involved, there were more local partners involved for the project to have success. They were nursing homes, schools, and municipalities. These partners gave the possibility to include elderly and more youngsters in a safe and open environment. DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ACTIVITIES Training Course The TC focused on intercultural dialogue, the role of the youth worker, the topics mentioned by young people to be developed in the sessions and the methodologies to create and improve the sharing of knowledge and skills among the elderly and young people. The TC created conditions for participants to focus on intergenerational issues and solutions within their local communities. Blended Mobility The blended mobility lasted seven months and involved the young people who participated in the sessions with the elderly. This allowed the young people to communicate and exchange ideas on the topic of intergenerational dialogue, in the online phase. In the youth exchange, participants were able to share experiences, new ideas and ways of being in relation to intergenerational dialogue and learning. In addition, participants were challenged to accomplish missions related to the city, with their group spirit and intergenerationality. The final performance took place in the space of Agitágueda, being titled "Grandpa Punk me More", with the collaboration of the Senior University of Águeda. This experience has linked intergenerational dialogue and learning to positive and dynamic situations, where it is possible to understand and learn from the elderly. Sessions The sessions were held once a month for seven months in all partner countries. Each country developed different topics depending on the young people involved in choosing and preparing activities and partner organizations. In addition, the methodologies used were different according to the needs of the group, some simpler and spontaneous, others prepared in a way to contextualize the topic and establish relationships through activities. Final Exhibition After the end of sessions and blended mobility, the countries developed a final exhibition. The photos chosen reflect moments of the local sessions and the youth exchange. RESULTS AND IMPACT The results of the project were young people aware of the advantages of learning through older people; increasing of social dialogue between youth and elderly; increasing knowledge and skills among young people, youth workers and trainers on intergenerational learning; young people more socially active in creating better conditions for their community, more aware of intergenerational needs and more proactive in finding solutions and a toolkit in intergenerational dialogue and learning methodologies. The partners were important parts in the implementation of a project intended to respond to their young people. In fact, the partner organizations have taken on other partnerships in their communities so that the project could be successful and bring together all those involved in its implementation. In this way, there was a strong impact both in the partner organizations and in other organizations involved, both for their constant involvement and for the motivation created throughout the project for its good results. The impact felt on young people was the increase in social-relational well-being, a sense of belonging and social identity with the local community; increase participation of young people in local community development issues, as well as their involvement and contribution to creating a positive image of youth within the community in which they live; greater relational and social skills, in particular critical thinking, self-awareness, empathy and relational skills; young people more aware of their role in social change and in their community and increase of self-empowerment in practices and contexts of active citizenship.