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Description
In this project, we create local partnerships with care homes for dependent people and build neighbourhood relations. In three care homes in the Mazovian Province, we conduct diagnoses and together with local partners develop a new space for cooperation – a local festival. The diagnoses aim to identify the potentials and needs of the homes, their residents and their surroundings. We are co-creating a new local festival, the celebration of which will be an opportunity for people living in care homes to meet people from their neighbourhoods. We want to ensure that such events attract residents and continue in future years. The project is a response to the challenges of the projected increase in the number of older people in society. We see care homes and their surroundings as a community. They provide numerous opportunities to undertake joint activities, to allow prople to ''learn about old age'', to create intergenerational bonds and to break down stereotypes. Furthermore, research from the Community Organisations. It Works campaign shows that in times of challenge due to the aftermath of the pandemic and war in Ukraine, there are deficits of kindness, togetherness and good news in society. This is why we want to support older people to stay active and independent for as long as possible, and to counteract their exclusion and loneliness. We want to share the experience of this project and encourage other institutions to do the same. We benefit from the experience of our Norwegian partner Bjerkaker LearningLab (BLL), which is supporting us with an inspiration package. Meanwhile, the Cotopaxi Association, together with youth groups, are preparing a documentary about the care homes. We believe that through this work, the young people will, in addition to their filmmaking skills, develop their ability to observe reality and learn how to empathise with others.
Summary of project results
We directed the project to social welfare homes (DPS) in the Masovian Voivodeship - excluding Warsaw. We invited the Palace for Seniors from Sulejówek, the Social Home from Karolinów and the Social Home from Żyrardów from ul. Limanowskiego 32B. The houses, with mentoring support, were to diagnose themselves and their surroundings and establish/strengthen relationships with local entities. Plan and implement the holiday and consider the continuation of these activities. The youth were supposed to film this process. The social campaign was intended to help us spread the positive message of our project more widely and inspire others.
These actions were intended to be a response to:
→ the need to change the social perception of nursing homes, to involve them in the affairs of the community of which they are a part, and to show people associated with them in an active way, having something to offer. We also wanted to prevent the exclusion of older people from public space.
→ The need to involve a wide range of partners from the private, social and public sectors and to involve the residents of nursing homes in activities. We know that this is the path to agency and shared responsibility.
→ The need for seniors to remain active and independent for as long as possible - according to Central Statistical Office forecasts, our society is aging. That is why it is so important to support them in maintaining activity and independence. And also taking care of the nature and frequency of social contacts, which affects lifestyle and mental well-being.
→ The need for good news, kindness, goodness and warmth, as well as a sense of community, as indicated by the results of the study "Social Organizations. It works" on how to communicate in times when we are faced with, among others, the aftermath of the pandemic, the humanitarian crisis on the border with Belarus, or the war in Ukraine. We were inspired by the activities of other organizations that have been developing the idea of Neighbor''s Day over the years.
Hence our focus in the project on celebrating together - a formula that meets these needs of both people associated with DPS and entire communities.
Created:
• database of social welfare homes and other assistance facilities (including ŚDS) developed throughout the project with a view to developing its next edition,
• 2 one pagers about the project (sent to approximately 360 organizations and people),
• subpage about the project (410 views during the project),
• 3 descriptive diagnoses of nursing homes, and 3 in the form of maps of their neighborhoods.
• 2 films from the study visit to Norway (with Polish and English subtitles),
• 4 film documentaries shot by young people about the project and the DPS participating in it,
• inspirational materials regarding practices from Poland and Norway and a catalog developing them aimed at strengthening DPSs and their broadly understood resources,
• article about senior policy in Norway,
• 2 photo reports from Christmas at Home,
• 3 photo books about houses from the project,
• 1 summary publication,
• well-being workshops for the staff of each nursing home,
• evaluation report. There were 8 mentions/articles about the project (including video reports) in local media and 1 in national media.
The following took place:
• networking meetings of Houses with other institutions,
• study visit to Norway (Oslo),
• film workshops, meetings on editing, production and 15 facilitated meetings on work on films of the "Cotopaxi" Film Studio Association with youth groups,
• 2 Homes started cooperation with a journalist who is writing a book about the situation of nursing homes in Poland,
• 5 holidays in Social Welfare Homes (including 2 combined with the premiere of films) and 1 holiday / event summarizing the entire project,
• experimental social campaign - #DPSChallenge, which involves sharing your good experience with DPS on social media and nominating other people/institutions for this task.
As part of institutional development, a study on dialogue, management staff training on team financial management, financial coaching and facilitation training for the entire team were conducted.
→ 3 DPSs went through a mentoring process, which included: diagnosis, creating a partnership map, developing and conducting a local festival with local institutions (3). 2 of them conducted additional events combined with the premiere of films. Their implementation was made possible thanks to the financial support we received. Residents of nursing homes were involved in the events. The houses have established/strengthened local relationships. Each of them received personalized photo books, and 2 of them received photo reports from the events. Photos from the Houses are in the summary publication. The created materials, unavailable on an everyday basis for this type of facilities, have a promotional function, breaking the stereotypes that the Homes face. The staff took part in well-being workshops. 2 Domy started cooperation with the journalist.
→ 3 youth groups (16 people in total) acquired knowledge about storytelling, creating scripts, technical issues related to film production and created film documentaries. Visits to nursing homes were an opportunity to break stereotypes about these facilities, and to meet their residents to talk and reflect on their own future (old age).
→ Our Foundation continued its participatory activities. Here - she developed the idea of Open Houses in cooperation with DPS. We gained knowledge about the operation and needs of nursing homes. We will use it in the next edition of the project. We still maintain contact with the Domó1) staff, inviting them to take on expert roles. We have materials with specific tools useful in various areas (e.g. cooperation with young people) and a catalog in which we advise where to look for support for your broadly understood resources in order to be able to act.
During a study visit to Norway, 4 people from our team visited local centers and learned about its senior policy. Thanks to the conducted research, we explored the topic of dialogue, which is important for our work. Our team has developed its competences in financial management and facilitation.