TOLLAS – Towards a Life-Long Active Society

(2011-2012)

The main objectives:

• to empower the representatives of the elderly generation to play an active role in local decision making;
• to improve the capacity of state and non-state actors to adequately represent specific needs and interests of seniors.

Target groups: specialists from governmental and non-governmental social and cultural organizations working with seniors; seniors aged 55 and older in the Minsk and Brest regions.

Implementation period: 2011-2012

The project activity area: Minsk and Minsk region, Brest and Brest regions.

The applicant: dvv international (The Representative Office of the German Adult Education Association in the Republic of Belarus)

Partners of the applicant: International Public Association “Education without Borders”

Associated of the applicant participating in the action:

• Executive Committee of the Minsk Culture Department
• Brest Regional Committee for Labour and Social Protection
• NGO “Logos”

Main components of the project:

1. Widening variety of educational programs and broadening access to educational services for senior citizens
2. Professional development of specialists working with the elderly
3. Promotion of the idea of a life-long active society and awareness-raising on the problems of the elderly generation and their actual and potential role in our society

These components will be realized through the implementation of the following activities:

1. Widening variety of educational programs and broadening access to educational services for senior citizens will be reached through:

1.1. Establishment of two resource centers in Brest and Minsk regions where various educational activities will be held regularly for the elderly population

1.2. Holding of a competitive tender for educational mini-projects specially designed for the elderly and the implementation of 10 of them by various state and non-state actors

2. Professional development of specialists working with the elderly will be reached through:

2.1. Design and implementing of 4 training curricula for specialists involved in work with seniors and their distribution among all interested institutions

The training course topics are:

• Methods of activating and motivating elderly people to participate in society
• How to support the dialogue between generations
• Participation in local development and decision making
• Project management studies for the elderly

2.2. 8 seminars on how to use and effectively implement the developed training curricula will be held for specialists working with the elderly

2.3. Two resource centers will provide consulting, support and library services for other institutions interested in work with senior citizens

2.4. Design and distribution of a monthly bulletin “Tollas” aiming at reporting of project activities and coverage of Belarusian and international experience on working with seniors with analytical and methodological articles

2.5. Study visit “Forms and Methods of Educating the Elderly in Germany”. The programme will include:

• Study of resources for education of the elderly on traditional universities’ premises:
• Special programmes on folk high schools’ premises
• Seniors’ Universities
• Meetings and discussions with experts on the theme of normative regulation of educational work with seniors, ways of financing and cooperating at the local level
• Participation of the elderly in the processes of sustainable development, including Agenda 21

3. Promotion of the idea of a life-long active society and awareness-raising on the problems of the elderly generation and their actual and potential role in our society will be implemented through:

3.1. Publications on project and thematic articles in electronic and print media

3.2. Production and distribution of informational and other thematic materials (leaflet and booklet)

3.3. Tender and award for 4 advocacy mini-projects among state and non-state institutions and their implementation.

The guiding themes are:

• role of the elderly in the perception of a changing modern society;
• Active old age: participation in life of local communities and projects on sustainable development
• Exercising of rights by the elderly and, first of all, the right to education
• Generation links

Possible types of activities are: publication of booklets, postcards and the production of other information material that reflects the subject-matter of the tender: holding interactive meetings, street events, etc.

3.4. Production of a documentary film about the project and its results presenting most interesting and relevant practices

3.5. Holding of an International Fair – a final international activity – aiming at presenting experience and project results, investigating relevant issues in the field of education for the elderly as well as issues of involvement of senior citizens in active public work and decision-making, development of a cooperation network inside the country an at international level.