We aimed to increase the competences of 30 educators, equip them with knowledge and skills, and, through the exchange of best practices and mobility, enable them to gain personal experience. We planned to engage 60 adult learners, including seniors, and conduct workshops for them in the areas of ecology, biodiversity, heritage, active aging, and ensuring mental and physical well-being. Establishing contacts and fostering the international development of our institutions, as well as preparing new offerings for our recipients, were important to us. Adapting the methods and forms of working with adult learners observed and developed during the mobility provided us with the opportunity to adapt them to the educational capabilities of the recipients and the cultural specificities of the partner regions. The reality exceeded our expectations. The proposed activities for staff, consortium members and employees, and representatives of local communities were very popular. The planned indicators were exceeded, and the competences of 32 trainers and volunteers were improved. About 470 people took advantage of the offer. The Romanian partner led the way, engaging 288 seniors. We have established contact with social care homes in France.
The acordEU project arose from the desire to meet the educational needs of staff working with adults, including seniors, at three institutions. These needs were identified and assessed prior to applying to the NA. Staff from all partnership institutions expressed a need to expand their knowledge and educational competencies in the areas of ecology, natural heritage, and cultural heritage of the partner institutions' regions, as well as to enhance their educational skills through the exchange of best practices among project participants. These needs were identified through surveys, discussions, and observations at the partnership institutions. Another important need was to enrich and diversify the programming offered by all three institutions, promoting the implementation of pro-ecological behaviours in everyday life and ideas for artistic and cultural activities supporting active aging, which stemmed from the feedback from seniors – recipients of the ongoing educational offerings implemented by the partnership institutions. In summary, the project arose from the need to strengthen and develop the competencies of the consortium's staff and to enhance the programming offered to adults, including seniors.