More information
Description
The challenge addressed by this project is the lack of coordinated activities carried out in the Serock Municipality for people aged over 60 years. There is a lack of solutions developed by older people themselves, who are not involved in shaping local policies. The aim of the project is to create a coherent Strategy for the activities of the Serock Municipality for seniors over 60 years for 2023-2027, which will be adopted for implementation by the Council of the Municipality. In Serock there are 4086 people aged over 60 years (2267 are women, and 1819 – men), which is 26.59% of the total population. Therefore, issues concerning the elderly are one of the most important social problems of the municipality. There are not many NGOs that are active here, and only a few support older people. These are: Club of Active Senior Citizens, Club of Lovers of Zegrze, Serock Senior Academy. None of these organisations are involved in social participation or engage seniors as local leaders. Such activities are carried out by our organisation throughout the whole Legionowo County. The situation of seniors has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, seniors mainly have been staying in their homes and do not have many opportunities to participate in public life. Neither the municipality nor its units and other NGOs provide effective support for seniors. It is necessary to adopt a new strategy for the activities of the Serock Municipality for people over 60 years, as the old strategic documents have already become outdated. The whole local community, especially older people, should be involved in the process of developing the strategy. It should also take into account the limited human resources of local government institutions.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the need for a lack of coordinated activities carried out in the City and Commune of Serock addressed to the group of seniors, which would be a response to the needs of this group, developed by the interested parties themselves in the process of participation in shaping local policies. The aim of the project was to create a coherent Strategy of the City and Commune of Serock for seniors 60+ for the years 2023-2027, developed together with older residents of the City and Commune of Serock and adopted for implementation by the City and Commune Council. The project aimed to strengthen the perception of Serock seniors not only through the prism of the need to provide care services, but as a group of residents full of social, cultural and development potential.
The project was implemented from October 1, 2022 to October 1, 2023 and proceeded according to the assumed schedule.
40 seniors were trained, who improved their digital competences after completing the training.
The entire process of diagnosing the needs of seniors in Serock was organized and carried out through surveys, diagnostic walks and discussion cafés. The data from the conducted research was analyzed by a sociologist and was developed in the form of a report. The recommendations resulting from the report were presented to the Serock authorities and then used to develop a preliminary version of the strategy. The process of consulting the preliminary version of the strategy with the residents of the City and Commune of Serock took place, changes were made to the content of the strategy in accordance with the expectations resulting from the consultations, and then the finished document was submitted to the Serock City and Commune Office for introduction to the City Council in Serock. On September 27, 2023, the Council adopted RESOLUTION NO. 780/ŁXXII/2023 on the adoption of the "Senior Policy Strategy for 2023-2027 - Serocczanie 60+". The implementation of the resolution is entrusted to the Mayor of the City and Commune of Serock. The resolution entered into force on the date of its adoption. Thus, the purpose of the project was implemented in its entirety.
The results directly concern a total of at least 300 people aged 60+, and indirectly 4,000 people aged 60+ residents of the city and commune of Serock.
Quantitative Products and Results:
- Improved digital competences - 40 people
- Surveys - 200 people aged 60+ (surveys) to identify the needs of seniors necessary to build a strategy
- Diagnostic walks (virtual) - at least 15 people aged 60+
- Consultation cafes (virtual) - at least 29 people 60+
- A ceremonial event closing the project – 100 people
- Thematic scenarios for diagnostic walks – 3 pcs.
- Consultation café programs – 3 pcs.
- Multimedia presentation – 2 pcs.
- Senior strategy in paper version – 1 pc.
Qualitative results:
- 100 people aged 60+ in Serock will be involved in public life through co-creation of the strategy, verification method: number of people who took part in consultations on creating the strategy.
The benefits resulting from the activities carried out include the social involvement of seniors in the process of examining needs and then creating a strategic document regarding their lives – the change that has taken place in a given senior community is integration and involvement in cooperation with each other and with representatives of local authorities.