Fostering neighbourhood participation to protect and care for elderly citizens Erasmus Project

Project Title

Fostering neighbourhood participation to protect and care for elderly citizens

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: Health and wellbeing; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Elderly «form a particularly vulnerable group in society, with an increased risk of poverty or social exclusion»: 38% of +65 y. are unable to face unexpected financial expenses;almost 17% of people in risk of poverty are elderly aged >65 y.; 12.5% among people aged >75 y. self-reported depressive symptoms,linked with loneliness (2019 Ageing Europe,Eurostat).In addition,EU-28 average of elderly who live alone is 32.1% (2015) & higher rates are in countries like France (37.5%), Romania (35,6%) & Germany (33,7%),UK (32%) & Italy (30.7%);Portugal & Spain face rates below 25% (A look at the lives of the elderly in the EU today,Eurostat,2017). Promoting age-friendly environments and communities is at the heart of EU social policy. There are initiatives at national level to support elderly citizens & ageing in place. Despite some ground work, there is still a need to ensure wider support & meeting needs beyond food supply and small entertainment.Many instrumental support given is not protected by professional advice, thus in need for an holistic approach preparing communities for any situation which might arise.

NEXT DOOR aims to promote social capital within neighbourhoods,fostering protection of elderly citizens & increasing levels of self-esteem & quality of life.NEXT DOOR takes up the benefits of the Integrated Neighborhood Approach (INA),which aims to use resources that are available in a neighborhood & to increase responsiveness to individuals’ unmet needs (van Dijk et al., 2016). It relies on development of skills of professionals working for community at local level,improving technical & social competences to support better job performance & their contribution to cohesive region,putting together community organisations & training providers.

Objectives of NEXT DOOR are to:
1_Engage multi-level stakeholders in response of elderly needs, by local co-creation workshops;
2_Build digital tool of mapping local resources, information on how to support & referral process;
2_Raise awareness on general public & neighbours on the importance of community’s social capital;
3_Design and pilot a capacity-building programme for professionals (community, social, health) & policymakers (municipalities, government), addressing concept & resources of NEXT DOOR;
4_Build gamification resources to support the learning activities, awareness events and assessment;
5_Launch local social resources groups (taken from the model of Employee Resource Groups which are made for support and career development, engagement, for reference and understanding a business) to setup recommendations;
6_Create a model which packs methodology, resources, results from piloting, follow-up assessment and case studies, as well as a business model for mainstream and replication.

Foreseen Intellectual Outputs:
IO1_NEXT DOOR Methodology through participatory actions for engagement of multi-level stakeholders
IO2_Next Door Digital tool
IO3_Awareness and Capacity-building programme
IO4_Next Door Model for neighbourhood’s participation to protect and care for elderly citizens

For this, several results can be anticipated:
-The engagement of 210 multi-level stakeholders (social/health services, parish councils, municipalities )in the response of elderly needs, by implementing 21 local co-creation sessions;
-Production of 1 Methodology for fostering community engagement of neighbours;
-More well prepared neighbours and general public when supporting elderly people fight social exclusion through 1 digital tool, developed over 14 design workshops for mapping needs involving 112 participants, and tested in 350 users;
-Creation of 1 Digital tool in 7 languages and 1 manual of instructions;
-Awareness and civic engagement of general public and with 21 awareness activities and 420 people reached;
-Creation and piloting of 1 capacity-building programme for professionals addressing NEXT DOOR’s concept in 7 countries, 70 professionals trained,
-Creation of a business model with varied resources, including launching 7 Local Social Resources Groups, involving 42 participants, setting 14 recommendations, and spread to 140 stakeholders.

NEXT DOOR wants to create innovative methods for neighbourhood engagement in a way in which each “door” can become the support network for older citizens.

Project Website

https://www.nextdoor-project.org/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 448375 Eur

Project Coordinator

AFEJI HAUTS-DE-FRANCE & Country: FR

Project Partners

• ASOCIATIA EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIAL INOVATION
• ANZIANI E NON SOLO SOCIETA COOPERATIVA SOCIALE
• MERSEYSIDE EXPANDING HORIZONS LIMITED
• ACEEU GmbH
• APROXIMAR- COOPERATIVA DE SOLIDARIEDADE SOCIAL, CRL
• AMADORA INOVATION EM UNIPESSOAL LDA
• CONSORCI DE LA RIBERA