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Description
Senior councils play an important role in activating elderly citizens, representing their interests, and collaborating with local governments and organizations. However, according to our studies, they are still a rare occurrence in Małopolskie Voivodeship, with only 18% of municipalities having established Senior Councils. Additionally, according to the expert periodical, “Senior Policy,” up to 80% of existing councils does not receive any support in developing their members’ competences or the organization itself. We will address that problem by organizing trainings for the representatives of selected councils and groups from the Małopolska Network of Senior Councils. They will participate in workshops run by our partners from Norway. Experts from the Bjerkaker LæringsLab organization will teach them about participatory techniques, building of the social dialogue and activating seniors, using the examples from Norway. Norsensus Mediaforum organization, specializing in developing of media and communication skills, will conduct practical workshops on methods for creating informational campaigns and communication in civic activism. We will organize pilot participatory processes in four municipalities around Małopolskie Voivodeship, during which we will work on local senior policy. We will connect senior groups during meetings of the Małopolska Network of Senior Councils, where they will have an opportunity to exchange experiences, challenges and accomplishments. We will have a series of consultations for the existing senior groups that wish to start a council in their municipality in the Voivodeship. We will devise a plan of action, diagnosis of elderly needs and the pathways to collaborate with the local government. Finally, we will organize a conference during which the representatives from councils and organizations working on the behalf of seniors from across Poland and our partners will exchange knowledge on good practices and experiences from their work.
Summary of project results
Senior councils have played, and still play, an important role in encouraging civic engagement among elderly citizens, as well as in representing their interests when collaborating with local governments and various institutions. However, our research shows that councils are still rare. Only 18% of municipalities in Małopolskie Voivodeship has an established council. Additionally, according to an expert publication entitled “Senior Policy," 80% of existing councils in Poland don''t receive any support dedicated to professional development of its staff, its members, and structures. We responded to the problem by organizing trainings for representatives of selected councils and groups from the Małopolska Senior Council Network. Experts from Bjerkaker LæringsLab presented participatory techniques used for building social dialogue and activating seniors. They used practices employed in Norway as examples. Representatives from Norsensus Mediaforum, an organization specializing in developing media and communication skills, conducted workshops on methods for creating and conducting informational campaigns within the civic sector.We organized pilot participatory processes in two municipalities in Małopolskie Voivodeship, which resulted in local senior policy development. During the meetings of Małopolska Senior Council Network we had an opportunity to connect different senior groups, allowing them to exchange experiences and discuss challenges and achievements in their work. We have developed a plan of action, diagnosed the state of senior needs and paths forward for working with local governments. Finally, we have organized a conference, during which councils'' representatives and members of different, active senior groups from all over Poland, as well as other activists and partners exchanged knowledge on good practices and experiences in their work.Thanks to the senior policies developed in Skawina and Nowy Targ we managed to bring closer the councils and local governments. From our surveys we have learned that individuals who took part in our trainings believe they have increased their competences in organizing informational campaigns. Meetings of the Małopolska Network allowed different groups to meet and exchange knowledge, experience, and best practices, as well as inspire each other to further action.
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Summary of bilateral results
Bilateral cooperation worked very well, but only with one of the two partners (Bjerkaker LæringsLab (BLL)).Firstly, the cooperation gave knowledge of how a council of seniors can function - the Polish side learned that if there is no good model, one works as before - without change. And when they learned that it is possible to act more ambitiously and reach for more topics concerning the life of seniors in the city (housing, transportation (e.g., the resolution on scooters)), such actions also began to be implemented. In addition, the Polish side learned from the Norwegian side that it is possible to conduct council meetings in a workshop manner.The partner learned from the Polish side to network and cooperate with (and support) other senior citizen councils outside Oslo.