SenGA’s long-term objective was to increase the awareness of seniors and experts and educators working with them about recycling, circular economy and "green" and environmentally friendly solutions and to create educational resources in the field suitable for them, so as to support their active aging and social inclusion. Specific objectives: 1. Improving teaching competences of non-formal and informal adult educators, training professionals, social workers and assistants who work with elders. 2. Creating opportunities for elder adult learners to increase their awareness about creative recycling, circular economy and different types of activities which they could do for active aging, inclusion and socialization. 3. Creating a non-formal network of "senior green ambassadors" of the idea of active aging, creative recycling and circular economy, who want to take the lead and become non-formal peer-to-peer educators. 4. Promoting cross-sector, inter-generational and transnational cooperation and exchange of experience, best practices and lesson learned between partner countries, and educational and training centres from formal, non-formal and informal education.
In March 2020, the EU Commission proposed the European Green Deal and a new plan for transition to circular and low carbon economy. According to Eurostat, in 2019 European countries accumulated about 502 kg waste per person. Data show that only 30 % of it is recycled. On the other side, nowadays more Europeans live longer, are healthier and want to be active. According to Eurostat forecasts, by 2060, 40 % of Europe’s population will be 55+. The projected old-age dependency ratio, 2100 shows that the fastest aging trends are for Poland and Italy, followed by Spain. Bulgaria is also above the EU-average levels. The figures for North Macedonia show increase of elders too. At the same time, many marketing researches show that ‘baby-boomers’ (who are now at the age of 65+) and the so called ‘Generation X’ are among the biggest consumers. They are also less aware about pollution and recycling, as usually "green" educational programmes and initiatives are focused on young people. With the SenGA project we wanted to increase the awareness of seniors about sustainable development, recycling, circular economy and “green” and environmentally friendly solutions in their daily lives.