Bridge the Gap! Enhancing the social and digital participation of older people Erasmus Project

Project Title

Bridge the Gap! Enhancing the social and digital participation of older people

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Background

Digitisation and demographic changes are two major trends in Europe and beyond:
The transformative power of digitisation is visible in almost every field of our society. It calls for new knowledge and skills to be able to fully participate in society. In a more structural perspective, we have to reduce the digital gap that divides certain groups (e.g. older people) from those with full access to the digital world. The worldwide Coronavirus crisis throws a light on the importance of ICT for staying in touch and participating in society.
An “ageing Europe” has profound implications, not only for individuals, but also for the entire system (e.g. finances, health care). We have to find creative and sustainable ways to enable older people to live autonomously and to shape environments in such ways to support independence and social inclusion.

Objectives

Our project BRIDGE THE GAP! links these two challenges: Older people are empowered and trained to explore, analyse and (re-)shape their neighbourhoods with the help of digital tools. Our main objectives are
• to train, empower and support older people to get active for their neighbourhoods, to bring forward their ideas for age-friendly environments and to master the digital tools they need to implement their ideas,
• to develop meaningful, supportive and highly accessible learning formats and materials,
• to raise awareness for the relevance of age-friendly environments and the political, social and digital participation of older citizens and inspire others (e.g. decision makers) to advocate these issues,
• to contribute to new images of ageing and
• to produce and disseminate sustainable outcomes and build strong networks for the participation of older citizens.

Participants

In each partner country (Austria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands) a group of 12–20 (in total up to 100) older people is trained and empowered to implement their ideas (3–5 projects per country) with the help of digital tools. The low-threshold training settings also support the participation of older persons with little experience in formal trainings. These trainings are the test cases for our outputs (O2–O5). The learners actively contribute to these outputs, to the events – both at national/regional (E1–E5) and EU level (E6). Peer-to-peer elements, research (O1), the events and a comprehensive dissemination strategy involve many more older persons and stakeholders of various kinds.

Activities, results and sustainability

Preparation, Research, BRIDGE THE GAP! Fact Sheet
The partners carry out research that covers the social and digital participation of older people, good practice examples in this field etc. The Fact Sheet (O1) not only summarizes the findings but is also a valuable dissemination tool for the project.

Development, Training Concept & Curriculum
We develop a framework curriculum as the basis for the five trainings. The curriculum innovatively combines the issues of age-friendly environments and digital literacy. The trainings are adapted flexibly to the contexts and the needs and interests of the participants.

Trainings, Age-friendly environment projects, Multiplier Events
The trainings in the partner countries are not only test cases for the curriculum but also the basis of age-friendly environment projects brought forward by the older learners. At the national events (E1–E5), the project results are presented – with the active participation of the older learners/activists. The Online Multiplier Event (O6) puts the project issues on the EU agenda. Again, the older participants actively participate in this format.

Production of sustainable and transferable outputs: Booklet, Training Kit, Digital Training
In addition to the Fact Sheet, we produce sustainable outputs that support stakeholders to advocate the issues at stake, namely the social and digital participation of older citizens:

The BRIDGE THE GAP! Booklet (O3) summarizes the project results and presents the age-friendly environment projects. It raises awareness for the social/digital participation of older people and addresses e.g. stakeholders, policy makers, and organisations working with/for older people.

The Training Kit (O4) includes the curriculum and tools and methods that have proven helpful in the trainings. It mainly addresses training providers, trainers and organisations working with/for older people.

The Digital Training (O5) gives an insight into the training, provides helpful background information and resources for practitioners in adult education and by older learners for autonomous distance learning.

These activities are not only flanked by a project management and quality assurance that ensure the smooth project implementation, but also by a comprehensive dissemination strategy based on a diverse range of tools (e.g. mailings, social media, website, PR) that support the distribution and sustainability of our results.

Project Website

http://bridgethegap-project.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 263276 Eur

Project Coordinator

ISIS Institut für Soziale Infrastruktur gemeinnützige GmbH & Country: DE

Project Partners

• AFEDEMY, ACADEMY ON AGE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS IN EUROPE BV
• ASOCIACIJA SENJORU INICIATYVU CENTRAS
• queraum. kultur- und sozialforschung | Giedenbacher Stadler-Vida OG
• LUNARIA ASSOCIAZIONE DI PROMOZIONE SOCIALE