Elpida was seeking ways to create a supportive infrastructure for informal volunteering of older people. The majority of Czech seniors don´t take part in volunteering because they lack courage or don´t identify with volunteering discredited by the communist regime. But if the support comes in a suitable way (=senior friendly), they get involved much easier and dedicate their time and efforts to beneficial activities. The key is the close relationship of a senior with the organization and it´s credibility. In the project Elpida needed to prove whether this idea works and at the same time to build-up the relationship of seniors to the organization. This will generate a number of benefits: * Seniors become direct bearers of lifelong learning; * By increasing the teaching competences of seniors, the length of their active and fulfilled life extends; * The position of a senior lecturer implies his broad knowledge and experience. That strengthens the healthy self-esteem. Besides it gives them a credit appreciated by younger generations; * A new community of senior lecturers is naturally formed, supporting each other and inspiring others; * Naturally, the entire teaching team of the organization becomes inter-generational and balanced.
In Czech, older people are often neglected despite their enormous potential of knowledge, skills, life experience and stories and also free time. Elpida has been focusing on the education of seniors since 2002 - but not only on teaching them but also on the empowerment of seniors. Starting from 2018 Elpida gradually moves from traditionally conceived courses for seniors towards increasing participation of seniors. Two aspects of the "Danish model" were the key aspect: 1/ the authenticity of the program which comes from the seniors as such, from their wishes or abilities - not from the expert position of the organizer; 2/ a solid community of self-confident and active seniors who run activities for other seniors. The inspiration for the partnership with Denmark is based on the completely different functioning of Danish local Activity centres. In exchange of joining the program of their interests, the seniors naturally offer preparing and running their own activities for other seniors as volunteers. That prolongs their active life, enriches the social relations and supports self-confidence. In contrast with the Czech Republic, in Denmark the local municipalities are fundamentally involved.