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Connecting Intergenera(c)tions
Connecting Intergenera(c)tions
Start date: Aug 1, 2014,
End date: Jan 31, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Connecting Intergenera(c)tions was a youth volunteering project with the attained aim of connecting different Generations, People with and without disabilities and various cultures in Tyrol/Austria. Two host organistions hosted in total five volunteers, two stayed for 12 months, one for six and one for five months. There was one new and one experienced host organisation. The project linked all four individual volunteering experiences and foster exchange between the participants. One objective was to sensitise young participants from different European countries for the situation of elderly people and of people with disabilities, two groups which are often pushed to the brink of society. Four young participants collected impressive volunteering experience in two different host organisations in Tyrol (one in the rural area, Arche Tirol, and on in an urban area, Seniorenresidenz), where elderly people and people with disabilities live. The volunteers discovered different living conditions and situations of people from different generations and with different needs of care during their EVS service. They were given space and guidance to exchange with one another about their learning and were proposed opportunities to carry out a common project (organise an event, make a video or similar). They furthermore learned a lot non-formally and on a daily basis about professional approaches in working with the target groups in Austria. The activities they were involved in are: accompaniment of the target groups in personal matters (leisure, appointments, routines, occupation, hobbies...), assisting in the care for the people, technical practical work, workshops and groups for the target groups (basal stimulation, story telling workshops, music/creative/cooking workshops and similar), planning excursions and trips, participating in celebrations and different public presentations about volunteering, culture and generations. Methodology is human rights and dignity, based on UN declarations for the rights of people with disabilities, group work, empowerment and personal support. One impact was the new offers to the residents, initiated and carried out by the volunteers (Slovakian, Estonian afternoons, creative sessions, language Workshops, activity ideas, cooking recipes...). Annother impact will be the learning of the target groups and organisations in Austria themselves. The four volunteers weresupported to carry out a radio project, communicating Erasmus+ volunteering possibilities and the main themes of this project "Connecting Intergenera(c)tions": disability, active aging/healthy lifestyle and intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning. This media group project was nourished by the participants' own creativity and scheme and was strongly disseminated all over the region and also nationally and internationally, on- and offline. The participants could assist us a lot in regional EVS info events for youth, as they were the living example for it. The longterm benefits of this project are(intergenerational) lifelong friendships, strong learning results (more self-confidence, different future Outlook, linguistic competences, more tolerance and openness...), enrichment and inspiration of the local communities in Tyrol, future cooperation and connections between different European countries as well as follow-up projects in Erasmus+: Youth in Action.