BEST FRIENDS against Ageism – Intergenerational workshops between old people and children to brake the isolation of elderly people and support their social inclusion

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The project

Project Number

Date

31/12/2020 – 30/12/2022

Funding institution

Erasmus + – KA2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices – Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Info & contacts

marta.galvano@danilodolci.org

https://bestfriendsproject.eu/

Social Media

Description of the project

BEST FRIENDS against Ageism wants to deal with the exclusion and ageism older people face increasingly in Europe, breaking the isolation and exclusion of elderly people in our communities by developing an innovative curriculum and collecting inventive games that promote intergenerational communication and learning.

BEST FRIENDS objectives are:

to provide an innovative method for social care workers, volunteers and educators;
to break the isolation of elderly people through social participation and inclusion in our communities;
to improve their physical and mental health through interaction with young children;
to enrich the learning processes of elderly people in interaction with young children.

In this way, BEST FRIENDS makes an important contribution and promote awareness of social inclusion and giving a second chance to the elderly people, providing them with a new opportunity to enter again in the active society. At the same time, by providing interaction between elderly and young children, intergenerational solidarity against ageism through fun activities will be promoted.

Activities

Overview of the current state of art of the care situation of elderly people, such as their social inclusion, needs, good practices, pedagogical approaches, as well as learning needs and competences of social workers.
Focus groups with elderly people and social workers as well as recording of Autobiographical Life Stories.
Development of a methodology, information booklet, collection of intergenerational games.
Training for social care workers and volunteers.
Piloting testing and assessment of methodology training.
Intergenerational Learning events between elderly and children.

Results

Comparative Research and Assessment of current needs of care workers and elderly people: analysis of the existing methods and the current needs of social care workers, social workers, elderly people and secondarily educators including the state of art of elderly people in terms of social inclusion, good practices and pedagogical approaches.
BEST FRIENDS Intergenerational Learning Training Program: a training program addressed to care workers, social workers and volunteers working with elderly people to help them recognize the importance of Intergenerational Learning, demonstrating how to address ageism and take steps towards implementing an Intergenerational Learning activity involving young children and older people.
ToolKit for Intergenerational Learning Activities and Social Participation: a toolkit containing a collection of specific materials that should be used by care workers, social workers and educators to implement intergenerational learning programs between elderly people (65+) and young children (4-5 years old).
Mainstreaming policy of project results through consortiums European network: a document to share recommendations for local and national nursing homes and childcare institutions for implementing intergenerational Learning Activities between elderly and young children.