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Description
Senior citizens are the group most affected by the Covid19 pandemic (loneliness, depression, and more acute illness). They are unaware of the scope of voluntary work and self-help. According to the Śląsk Voivodship Social Policy Strategy 2006-2020, community involvement of seniors is no more than 15%. There are no advocacy or grassroots peer support structures. The Śląsk Senior Council recommends community activity as one of four main areas in which to take action. The project aims to promote voluntary work and self-help among the seniors and empower them by implementing certain self-advocacy solutions. We will organize one-on-one digital support (training on use of e-tools and digital education) and workshops on voluntary work and self-help (principles, self-advocacy: legal, practical, and psychological aspects and benefits). We will provide, for leaders, excursions and educational workshops on communication, negotiations, self-motivation, teamwork, and working with a local government authority and local community, in which we will jointly devise a framework for operating Self-Help Clubs. We will select ten self-advocates to help 60+ people in their towns in relations with public institutions. We will create five senior clubs and hold five online club networking meetings. Five senior support groups will be created. There will be increased community activity as well as personal development of fifty people, and the way in which they are perceived by residents and the local government authority will change. The measures will cover fifty people 60+ from five towns of up to 50 000 inhabitants in the Śląsk voivodship.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of social exclusion of senior citizens. People 60+ are the group most affected by the Covid19 pandemic, its consequences is loneliness, lowered mood and even depression. Although senior citizens are one of the most numerous social groups, unfortunately, despite the huge potential of this group, there is a lack of dedicated educational activities for them. In the Silesian Voivodeship, the social engagement of people 60+ does not exceed 15%, while figures for the general public indicate 29%. In large cities, seniors benefit from the educational and integration offer of third age universities, but in smaller towns and villages there are no such initiatives. In turn, existing initiatives (e.g. senior citizens'' clubs) rarely go beyond the usual methods of operation and do not network with each other.
The Project Promoter implemented a range of different activities aimed at people 60+ from towns and cities in the Silesian Voivodeship with up to 50,000 inhabitants. They were provided with individual digital support and prepared to use e-tools, as well as training on volunteering and self-help. For the leaders, educational outreach workshops were organised on communication, negotiation, self-motivation, group work, cooperation with local government and the community. A framework for the operation of self-help clubs was also jointly developed. Ten people were selected who then assisted people 60+ from their localities in dealing with public institutions and health services or other everyday matters. Five self-help senior citizens'' clubs were established in five different localities. The clubs carried out a variety of local activities, including coffee meetings, manual and art workshops and games corners. All clubs had the opportunity to get to know each other and exchange experiences through online networking meetings organised by the Project Promoter.
As part of the project, five active senior self-help groups were set up in five towns in the Silesian Voivodeship. The activities offered directly benefited 63 people aged 60+. They received support in developing digital competences, increased awareness of their rights, improved their knowledge in various areas, established new relationships and received individual support. Some participants also improved their leadership competences. Undoubtedly, the clubs have become local centres of social activity.
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