EU4All: Experiences and Their Utilisation for All
The project responds to demographic changes across the European Union by transforming senior citizen centres into dynamic spaces of active citizenship, moving away from the traditional model of passive service provision. The project is rooted in the belief that senior citizens, along with the staff and volunteers who support them, possess a wealth of experience that remains an untapped resource for social cohesion and community development.
The initiative is built upon four primary pillars:
- Professionalisation of adult education: Elevating the competencies of volunteers and full-time staff by integrating modern pedagogical tools tailored for the elderly.
- Empowerment and social ownership: Moving beyond attendance to participation, ensuring that visitors of these centres are equipped to take on leadership roles within their local communities.
- Cross-border synergy: Facilitating a high-level exchange of good practice models, particularly between established structures in Germany and other innovative social models in Poland, Italy and Romania.
- Standardisation of senior-friendly learning: Developing a universal set of principles for small-scale, application-oriented further education that can be adapted by any senior centre in Europe.
The 24-month project is structured around four key activities.
First, partners will conduct a structural mapping process, reviewing their current methodologies and operational models. This will result in a Status Quo Report identifying gaps in adult education and highlighting good practices to be shared within the network.
Next, based on the findings, partners will implement small-scale pilot initiatives in their local centres. These educational activities will test innovative ways of engaging seniors in civic life, with all steps carefully documented to develop a practical guide for other organisations.
Finally, the project will focus on transnational dissemination to ensure sustainability. The developed methodology and results will be shared with regional and European networks, extending the impact of EU4All beyond the funding period.
The consortium brings together the following partners: IC2 (Integration und Cooperation – Internationale Communication gUG) (Germany, lead partner), Villa Decius Association (Poland), Provincia di Livorno Sviluppo (Italy), and the National Federation OMENIA (Romania).
The project is financed by the Nationale Agentur Bildung für Europa beim Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung under the Erasmus+ programme.
