Nowadays, modernization and development are determining a global increase in life expectancy.
This trend, however, causes problems. Not only to countries’ governments (e.g. exploding pension budget, straining welfare system) but also to the elderly themselves. One of such challenges is to keep up their psychological well being, which is decreasing because of lacking social life and ways to contribute to an ever-changing society. Besides, this situation is due not to economic factors (e.g. income), but rather to a generalized mindset that can hinder seniors’ inclusion in the society.
Project aims
Our key activities:
Research & methodology
Our research will identify existing best seniors’ inclusion practices in each of the countries, most acute social problems related to the seniors’ exclusion, available tools and methodologies for teaching youth workers about the involvement of seniors, ideas on how to best engage seniors and youth. Afterward, a pilot training methodology for NGOs will teach their youth workers how to involve seniors in common activities with youth.
Capacity building program
Run a pilot that would test the methodology through events in partner countries. The pilot will include study 3 youth worker mobilities in partner countries & the Young Spirit festival in Lithuania.
Job shadowing
This program is for youth workers to better understand the local social problems and seniors’ inclusion capabilities in each of the countries (and wider regions). During the program, a youth worker spends 3 weeks in each of the partner’s countries gathering ground data on the topic. And in the end, 1 youth worker from each partner country will help to implement the festival in Lithuania.
Online platform
To share the ideas of the project with the public across the project countries (News, updates, educational material (videos, tutorials, quizzes, learning games), etc.) in English / Russian / Indonesian.
Mutual Mentorship Programme (MMP)
MMP is for youth and seniors – participating youngsters will be matched with elderly participants. The pairs will then go through a continuous (a few months long) learning & communication process.
YES Contest
To develop the best ideas on higher seniors’ involvement that could tackle the key social issues in project countries highlighted during the research phase.
Seminars
In partner countries to share results as well as one final event (festival “Young Spirit”) in Lithuania for participants and open-to-public.
Partners
Association Active Youth is a for-purpose organization (NGO) working with youth and communities in need in Lithuania and across borders. The organization boasts deep experience in both local and international (youth) projects, together with a large partnership network all over Europe (more than 400 organizations). “Active youth” Association will be responsible for the overall management & implementation of this project.
Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizami is the only formal-education institution in the consortium. Therefore, their expertise in this field are used to supplement the learning materials of the project. It also has a massive network of students & international partners, which allows it to contribute to dissemination & exploitation of the project’s results.
Act Global is an international organization established in 2012, whose activities focus on three thematic areas: youth empowerment, poverty reduction, and social cohesion. The organization develops and delivers international projects for young people and youth organizations, whilst also working closely with various partners (i.e. NGOs, Educational institutions, the ministry for education in Indonesia, charities businesses and other funding bodies).
Bridging The Gaps Organization is a non-governmental, non-profit, youth-led and youth-serving organization that focuses on the chief role of youth in mobilizing marginalized communities. The organization’s activities focus on four thematic pillars, namely: education; environmental sustainability; microfinance and entrepreneurship; culture, and heritage.
