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Description
We are working towards increasing the participation rates among citizens 60+ years old from Krapowicki and Strzelecki Districts (Opolskie Voivodeship). According to the results of the ”RS-partnersips with local governments” conference and the National Gathering of the Senior Councils, only 16% of seniors engages in civic life, while 73% believes they don’t have any influence over what’s happening in their municipalities. According to our research and observations, it is a result of the lack of knowledge on civic participation methods and techniques, as well as an insufficient number of initiatives targeting older individuals, who constitute the largest population group in those districts. As part of our project, we are encouraging seniors to begin volunteering and participating in public consultations. We will prepare tools for collaborating with local governments and implementing the grassroots ideas of our seniors. It will be accomplished through a series of educational workshops and partner visits, as well as creation of a map of local issues relevant to our seniors (the map will be created through a series of research walks and panels with seniors). As part of the workshops, the seniors will learn about certain legal aspects and good practices of volunteering, forms of participation and public consultations, as well as methods of establishing contact and collaboration with the local government. Finally, we will conduct evaluation workshops, during which the seniors will develop recommendations for the local government to help with activating and including seniors in local development and consultations. We plan on involving 48 seniors over 60 years old, who live in Krapkowicki and Strzelecki Districts.
Summary of project results
Our project aimed to increase the civic participation of individuals 60 years old and above from Krapkowicki and Strzelecki districts (Opolskie Voivodeship). Research results from “RS-partnerships with local governments” and National Gathering of Boards of Seniors found that only 16% of seniors remained civically engaged, while 73% believe they have no influence over what is happening in their local community.According to our internal research and observations, it’s a result of an insufficient knowledge of methods and techniques involved in civic participation, as well as a small number of initiatives designed for and addressed to the senior population. At the same time, seniors constitute the largest population group in the regions we have selected.As part of our project, we encouraged seniors to take up volunteering and participate in public comments periods. We have organized a series of workshops and learning visits and created a “seniors’ issues” map through consultations and research walks.As part of the workshops, our seniors have learned about the legal aspects and best practices of volunteering, as well as creating initiatives, different forms of participation and public consultations, and connecting and working with local governments. Lastly, we conducted an evaluation, which resulted with a set of recommendations for the local authorities on how to engage and active seniors to become part of the local civic life. Overall, we had 53 participants over the age of 60 living, or active, in Krapkowicki and Strzelecki districts.Based on our pre- and post-project surveys we can conclude that the awareness of seniors’ own agency has grown. They have also learned that the absence of their voice in a debate means their local government will remain blind to their needs. Among other things, the seniors who participated reported visiting local government websites more often and participating in surveys looking at the needs of local communities.
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