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Description
The defense of the human rights of elderly people living in the Azores is the focus of this project, aiming to foster healthy intergenerational relations to strengthen social cohesion and promote active citizenship and aging. Activities that acknowledge and value the potential of older generations will be organised and the problem of isolation and violence against the elderly will be given visibility.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project was to raise awareness and inform the population of the island of São Miguel (the largest of the Azores) about the human rights of older people in order to combat discrimination, neglect and violence against them, as well as to promote volunteering among young people in order to foster intergenerational dialogue.
The main target groups were people aged 65 and over who lived in the Azores, as well as young people between 16 and 30 years old. The activities included certified training for professionals working directly or indirectly with the elderly, and certified training for young volunteers who were part of the project or interested in the subject of volunteering.
Intergenerational workshops aimed to mobilize an exchange of knowledge, where young volunteers designed and carried out activities with older adults and vice versa. They also learned traditional knowledge from the seniors. In these activities, the goal was to give voice to the older generation so they could feel useful, sharing their knowledge with younger generations and combating societal myths that senior citizens are not productive or have nothing more to offer.
Street campaigns were carried out to promote and raise awareness about human rights, especially of the aging population. It also featured meetings, roundtables, and webinars to address these social issues, and a traveling exhibition on "The Human Rights of the Elderly" that toured all the municipalities on the island of São Miguel. This photo exhibition aimed to share the life stories of older people who may or may not have experienced the deprivation of their rights.
In quantitative terms, the following was achieved:
-150 youths mobilised by NGOs to engage in human rights work;
-88 professional staff trained;
-4 awareness raising campaigns carried out;
-99% share of target group showing concern for human rights.
In terms of capacity building, the promoter carried out a needs assessment and prepared an action plan. As a result, a new mobile management software suite was implemented. Additionally, 28 professionals received training in project management, as well as crisis and conflict management.
All proposed targets were met and exceeded.
Summary of bilateral results
The KUN partner team actively participated in the kickoff activity, conducting a workshop on "Violence against the elderly" and producing a report on this issue. They organized a study visit to Norway, providing insights into the country''s public policies and NGO activities. For the project''s final seminar, KUN collaborated with the ENVOLVi team, inviting experts from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies. These experts discussed projects, studies, and public policies related to the welfare of senior population in Norway.