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EFOS

EFOS was founded in 1990 at Bressanone (Italy) by Mr. Leopold Auinger from Innsbruck (Austria) with its Headquarters at Brussels and its General Office in Austria. The aim of EFOS is the protection of the interests of older students in universities in Europe. Since its foundation EFOS has had international meetings twice a year in various European countries. EFOS is in contact with the UN in Vienna (a representative of EFOS is a member of the “Committee on Ageing”) and with AIUTA (International Association of the Universities of the Third Age).

Aims of EFOS:

– Promoting high level education of older people alongside younger students or at special academies/universities for older people

– Fostering of joint projects for older students throughout Europe

– Fostering and securing the access of older people, including those without formal qualifications, to education at the highest level

– Representing the interests of academic education for older people in politics and society

– Fostering of autonomous national organizations with similar goals

– Identifying possibilities of using the skills and expertise of older students for the benefit of science and society

– Cooperating with other international organizations that support lifelong learning (LLL).

Members:  Institutions and individual senior students in the following countries: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden, Switzerland. At this moment (2020) EFOS has 19 institutional and 19 individual members.

Source: https://www.efos-europa.eu/

Access date: 04.12.2020

SeLiD – Senior’s Learning in the Digital Society

The project Senior´s Learning in the Digital Society (SeLiD) has been approved as an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership for the period 1 September 2019 – 31 August 2021. The project is carried out by 8 partners from European universities. Comenius University Centre for Continuing Education Bratislava is the coordinator.

The main objectives are open education and innovative practices in a digital era, focusing on improving and extending high quality learning opportunities for digital technologies and ICT, tailored to the needs of individual low-skilled or low-qualified adults.

The project concentrates on learning and training of basic ICT skills and key digital competences of the elderly. Methods that will be applied are: classical teaching, group learning and training, peer learning, work with manuals, excursions to the shops with electronics, collection of good practices to develop digital literacy and skills of the elderly.

Source: https://selid.efos-europa.eu

Access date: 04.12.2020

Lighthouse Keepers 2020 (Latarnicy2020.pl)

The “Latarnicy2020.pl” project is one of the largest initiatives for digital education of adults in the country.

The substantive foundations of the activities were developed as part of the “Lighthouse of Digital Poland” project implemented by the “Cities on the Internet” Association („Miasta w Internecie“ Association) together with the Ministry of Administration and Digitization in 2011-2015 under the slogan: Digital Poland of Equal Opportunities.

The project has been implemented in Poland in 12 voivodeships.

The main goal of the project is to acquire and increase the level of digital competences by nearly 30 thousand project participants – residents of voivodeships where the project activities are realised, and to increase the use of information and communication technologies.

The general objective will have been achieved through the implementation of a number of detailed activities, i.e .:

  • recruitment and training of a group of 250 professional digital educators (the so-called Lighthouse Keepers of Digital Poland) who will provide training support to project participants,
  • implementation of the “lighthouse method” – a model of adult education developed in the Digital Poland of Equal Opportunities project,
  • increase of the level of digital competences of important professional and social groups – officials, teachers, employees of local government institutions, councilors and village leaders, who will motivate adult residents to use Internet resources,
  • reduction of the scale of social and digital exclusion of persons with disabilities.

The project will have a significant impact on improving the operation of local government units by increasing work efficiency (improving employee competences) and increasing the ability to create and develop public e-services and to integrate persons with disabilities with persons without them thanks to creating opportunities for wider social interactions through the use of the Internet. It is assumed that as a result of the project implementation, the operation of local government units will be improved and the use of public e-services will be enhanced.

The website of the initiative https://latarnicy2020.pl/ features educational materials (reports, brochures, workshop materials and lesson plans) and films that have been developed in the Digital Poland of Equal Opportunities project. They can be useful in lighthouse work as a didactic aid or inspiration in developing scenarios for classes with seniors.

Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, Operational Programme Digital Poland for 2014-2020.

Source: https://latarnicy2020.pl/

Access date: 12.03.2021

Association of Universities of the Third Age in Slovakia

The Association of Universities of the Third Age (ASUTV) of Slovakia was established as an initiative of Slovak universities and other institution of high education at a founding conference held at the Košice Technical University on 1st December 1994. Representatives of individual Slovak UTAs meet regularly, exchange information and consult organizational, financing and educational – methodical matters involving UTAs. Common professional sittings indicate the presence of rich activities of UTAs in the whole country. Today, apart from UTA at Comenius University and the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava. UTAs exist in Nitra, Martin, Banská Bystrica, Zvolen, Košice, Trenčín, Trnava, Žilina, Liptovský Mikuláš, Prešov, Dubnica nad Váhom and Ružomberok.

ASUTV is a member of the International Association of Universities of the Third Age (AIUTA), which has the seat at University in Toulouse: www.aiu3a.com

The UTAs offer a three-year program. The study system of the UTAs is adjusted both to the capabilities of the aged and to the possibilities of their main universities. The study plan of each year usually provides 14 three-hour lectures to be presented each fortnight. During their first year, the students are offered basic lectures in each of the offered discipline. The second and third year is devoted to the study of optional disciplines and students enrol in the study of specialised branches.

Source: https://asutv.sk/

Access date: 11.09.2020

Memtrain

MemTrain – Memory Training for Older Adults (55+) Linking Physical Exercise and Brain Training to Promote Healthy Ageing. MemTrain is an Erasmus+ Project Strategic Partnership in the field of Adult Education.

Project Memtrain is intended for professional sports trainers, brain trainers, lecturers, community workers and other adult education professionals who want to provide a professional training course for older people aged 55+ to improve memory and to help prevent brain deterioration. It is aimed at equipping trainers with scientific knowledge and important background information, but mainly with a step-by-step guide to conducting a sport and memory training course.

During the MemTrain project, seven partners from six European countries created a set of activities, which includes physical activities (adapted physical activity, Zumba, Nordic Walking and athletics) and brain training activities (brain training using both hemispheres of the brain and memory games).

Main outputs:

The project was funded by the European Union within Erasmus+ Programme.

Source: https://memtrain.eu/

Access date: 11.09.2020

Slow Learning – Making Digital World Easy for Seniors

Learning & education can play a very important role in reducing age segregation, as it regulates imbalance between generations and opens up new opportunities for social inclusion to seniors. The training of seniors requires andragogically well-trained providers, who are familiar with the theory and practice of adult education. The main problem that IT educators are facing is that they don’t have the needed skills and competences to educate seniors in new technology. Educators of elderly, and specifically IT educators, need knowledge of seniors and contemporary image of old age in society. On one hand they are aware that older people are not all the same, that they are very different, that they are more different from each other than different members of the younger generations, but on the other hand they also know, they lack knowledge both in theory and practice on better working methods with this target group. Lot of teachers are more pedagogues (school system of teaching) than andragogists with merely basic knowledge on working methods for seniors. Main objectives of the project are:

  • Better understanding of senior expectations & needs in learning environments, focusing on IT
    training;
  • Improved knowledge & use of pedagogical tools, new technology in educating seniors;
  • Exchange of good practice among partners;
  • Create the basic theoretical foundations for the implementation of education of IT to seniors;

Primary target groups of the project are adult educators, teachers, mentors, trainers, professionals in IT. Secondary target group are seniors who are impacted with an increased accessibility to nonformal IT learning activities, especially adapted to their needs & expectations.

Project offers compendium with best practices: https://slowlearning.eu/compendium-2/

Source: People’s University Ptuj

Access date: 01.03.2022

DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR SENIORS

Slovenian Third Age University (National Association for Education and Social Inclusion)

is currently a nation wide set network of 52 universities in 52 localities with about 21.000 students, more than 1.000 mentors and 1.000 volunteers.

Since 1984 when it was established it has been catering for the needs of older people in the field of informatics and new technologies. In 1986 mentors of Slovenian Third Age University developed a programme for low -literate employees complete beginners to learn both English and computer skills needed for the programme WordStar. It was accompanied by a film with mimes illustrating basic computer skills and was a breakthrough in ICT education. In Ljubljana there are currently more than 620 students enrolled in computer classes right now. There are programmes catering for students needs at different levels and developing overall computers skills.

Source:  The Slovenian Universitxy of Third Age

Access date: 30.09.2021

The Digital Day

The Digital Day is a nationwide day of action for digital participation. It is intended to make digitisation an everyday experience for all citizens with numerous activities. All over Germany, people will come together on the Digital Day at various event formats to discover digital technologies together and get to know them better. Everyone can offer their own activities on the Digital Day: Private individuals, associations, organisations, authorities or companies. In this way, the various aspects of digitisation can be illuminated and discussed on Digitaltag.

The Digital Day takes place once a year.

All actions of the Digital Day should:

  • deal with a topic related to digitalisation as accessible as possible (e.g. digital participation, digital skills, digitalisation and society, digital technologies).
  • be open to a wide range of participants.
  • be offered free of charge if possible.

* be easily accessible, for example through uncomplicated registration.

Source: https://digitaltag.eu

Access date: 01.06.2022

Senior citizens‘ offices

The Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Seniorenbüros e.V. (BaS) is the network of around 450 senior citizens’ offices in Germany. Senior citizens’ offices promote the voluntary engagement of older people and advocate for a good quality of life.

People over 50 are fitter, more active and more numerous today than at any time before. BaS plays a constructive role in shaping demographic change and provides impulses for senior citizens’ work. It stands for a realistic image of old age that is based on the potential of older people.

BaS advises local authorities and independent organisations on the establishment and further development of senior citizens’ offices and represents their interests at federal and state level. It offers advice, further training and specialist conferences and initiates projects that are implemented at the local level.

Professional support is provided in the senior citizens’ offices, including exchange of experience and appropriate framework conditions for volunteers and paying attention to a good culture of appreciation.

Many senior citizens’ offices offer help in the form of consultation hours on the Internet, PC meetings or counselling services by older people for older people. They are also committed to the digital and social participation of (n)onliners.

Source: https://seniorenbueros.org/

Access date: 01.06.2022

Cyber Guide

The Cyberfibel is aimed at all people who are professionally or voluntarily active in consumer counselling or education and who contribute in associations, foundations, educational institutions or federations to support other people in dealing safely with the digital world. The Cyberfibel is the basis for imparting knowledge – and thus also for one’s own knowledge acquisition in the sense of an accompanying reference book.

The Cyberfibel comprises two sections: In the first part, the “digital worlds” show everyday applications of digital technologies in private and professional life. Among other things, it is about reflecting on behaviour on the internet and developing strategies based on this, how internet offers can be used safely and sensibly on an individual basis. In the second part, the “digital competences”, the primer addresses risks in the online world and gives practical recommendations on how to protect yourself and your devices from possible threats from the net. Both areas can be looked at consecutively or independently of each other, as they do not build on each other.

The exercises of the guide convey the basic knowledge in a practical way and expand it. They enable you to acquire strategies and behavioural patterns for the safe and confident use of the Internet on the one hand, and to pass them on to others on the other.

All exercises should be accompanied by a competent person, e.g. the trainer. When doing the exercises at home, a competent family member, acquaintance or friend should be present. In particular, it is important to ensure that no contracts are concluded and no payment obligations are entered into.

Source: https://www.cyberfibel.de

Access date: 13.05.2022