FLOURISH CENTERS aims to empower the most disadvantaged older adults facing social exclusion, due to many factors, including their limited participation in digital culture. Through intergenerational activities around cultural heritage, adults interacted with young people and we were able to achieve the following objectives: - Develop the digital skills of disadvantaged older adults through intergenerational learning interventions, and promote their active and participatory role in (digital) society. - Fighting the digital divide between generations and the social exclusion of older adults through interventions focused on cultural heritage. Similarly, we have been able to provide educators and teaching staff, whether they work in formal or non-formal education with disadvantaged adults, particularly disadvantaged older people, with the tools they need to develop their digital skills and abilities while working with adults, either seniors or young people.
The idea for the project was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, which dramatically disrupted the daily lives of millions of people in the European Union and around the world. Numerous new challenges emerged in all sectors, affecting political, social, cultural and financial processes. To cope and continue during confinements or under highly restrictive measures, learning has been forced to go digital, with many positive effects on learners already proficient in digital skills and ICT use. However, this transition has left large sectors of the population "digitally excluded", particularly senior citizens over the age of 65. The project set out to meet the two main needs of two target groups: - Combating the exclusion of disadvantaged older adults aged 65 and over who have limited digital skills, or who would like to improve their digital skills. - Capacity building for adult educators interested in promoting intergenerational learning and improving the digital competence and skills of seniors.