Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

18
Lifelong Learning Lifelong Learning Institution as a Institution as a Means of Creating Means of Creating Age-Friendly Age-Friendly Environment Environment Gulnara Minnigaleeva, Gulnara Minnigaleeva, Ph.D. Ph.D. Senior Resource Center Senior Resource Center Wisdom Ripening” Wisdom Ripening” Tuymazy, Bashkortostan, Tuymazy, Bashkortostan, Russian Federation Russian Federation

description

Presented at Age-Friendly Cities Good Practices Meeting, Istanbul, May 23

Transcript of Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Page 1: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Lifelong Learning Institution Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means of Creating Age-as a Means of Creating Age-

Friendly EnvironmentFriendly Environment

Gulnara Minnigaleeva, Ph.D.Gulnara Minnigaleeva, Ph.D.Senior Resource Center Senior Resource Center

““Wisdom Ripening”Wisdom Ripening”Tuymazy, Bashkortostan, Tuymazy, Bashkortostan,

Russian Federation Russian Federation

Page 2: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

AgendaAgenda

What is Tuymazy, Russian Federation and What is Tuymazy, Russian Federation and

the situation of older persons in it?the situation of older persons in it?

Why did we choose a form of a lifelong Why did we choose a form of a lifelong

learning organization to proceed with AFC learning organization to proceed with AFC

project?project?

What benefits did older people gain from What benefits did older people gain from

participation in it?participation in it?

Page 3: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

What is the What is the situation of older situation of older

persons in persons in Russia?Russia?

Post Soviet country in transition - change of regime,

economy and ideologyRapid aging of populationLife expectancy 61 for men and 73 for women (2006)Eligibility for Government provided pensions is 60 for

men and 55 for women Minimal pension constitutes only 46% of cost of living

Page 4: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

What is the situation of older What is the situation of older persons in Tuymazy?persons in Tuymazy?

13% of the city population are older citizens

87%

8%

5%

Population

60-74

75 andolder

Page 5: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

What is the situation in Tuymazy What is the situation in Tuymazy ((data from the WHO “bottom-up” data from the WHO “bottom-up”

research stage)?research stage)?Few opportunities for social interactions and communications with peers

Perception of younger generation as immoral, disrespectful, irresponsible

Usually close relationships between generations in the families, Usually close relationships between generations in the families, but not age-friendly attitudes to older persons in generalbut not age-friendly attitudes to older persons in general

Effort to recognize, but recognition only happens twice a year Effort to recognize, but recognition only happens twice a year

Two clubs and a network of Veterans’ councils, but membership Two clubs and a network of Veterans’ councils, but membership is extremely limited, and the councils are largely dysfunctionalis extremely limited, and the councils are largely dysfunctional

Page 6: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

What other challenges did we What other challenges did we consider?consider?

Disjunctions of past Soviet ideology and present capitalist Disjunctions of past Soviet ideology and present capitalist

mentalitymentality

Historical dependence on governmental solutions Historical dependence on governmental solutions

Skepticism and fear of any civic engagement activities, Skepticism and fear of any civic engagement activities,

Post soviet “allergy” to volunteeringPost soviet “allergy” to volunteering

Funding (no culture of giving)Funding (no culture of giving)

The city authorities' fear of responsibility and any The city authorities' fear of responsibility and any

organized activitiesorganized activities

Page 7: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Why did building on “Folk school” Why did building on “Folk school” (Third Age University) form seem to (Third Age University) form seem to

be appropriate?be appropriate? A form of civic engagement widely used A form of civic engagement widely used

in the Soviet timesin the Soviet times Familiar and therefore trustworthy for Familiar and therefore trustworthy for

older personsolder persons Traditional and therefore trustworthy for Traditional and therefore trustworthy for

conservative city authoritiesconservative city authorities Appropriate response for the needs Appropriate response for the needs

expressed during the research stageexpressed during the research stage

Page 8: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Tuymazy Folk School statistics Tuymazy Folk School statistics (October 2007-April 2008)(October 2007-April 2008)

35 local volunteers 35 local volunteers 15 older volunteers 15 older volunteers 350 1-2 hour classes 350 1-2 hour classes 12 volunteer instructors taught 15 courses12 volunteer instructors taught 15 courses 120 older adults attended 120 older adults attended 3 School celebrations with 25-40 learners 3 School celebrations with 25-40 learners

participatingparticipating Several informal gatherings Several informal gatherings Multiple informal connections Multiple informal connections

Page 9: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Tuymazy Folk School statistics Tuymazy Folk School statistics (October 2007-April 2008)(October 2007-April 2008)

Page 10: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

What benefits were created by the What benefits were created by the lifelong learning organization?lifelong learning organization?

Participation, volunteering & Participation, volunteering & recognition recognition

Intergenerational communications Intergenerational communications Participation in decision making Participation in decision making Improving image of agingImproving image of aging

Page 11: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

VolunteeringVolunteering

Page 12: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

VolunteeringVolunteering

Participation in meaningful activities outside Participation in meaningful activities outside of family settingsof family settings

Public recognition of older adults' Public recognition of older adults' contributions (stories in media and contributions (stories in media and government government letters letters of recognition of recognition of of contrubutionscontrubutions))

Page 13: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Local college students interned as Local college students interned as tutors in computer classtutors in computer class

Page 14: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Local college students interned as Local college students interned as tutors in computer classtutors in computer class

Meaningful intergenerational Meaningful intergenerational communications outside of family communications outside of family settingssettings

Break through indifference of younger Break through indifference of younger people towards civic participationpeople towards civic participation

Improvement of their attitudes towards Improvement of their attitudes towards older generationolder generation

Improvement of older people's opinion Improvement of older people's opinion towards youngsterstowards youngsters

Page 15: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Participation in decision-making Participation in decision-making processesprocesses

University CouncilUniversity Council

Communications with Governmental officialsCommunications with Governmental officials

Written evaluation from all learnersWritten evaluation from all learners

Page 16: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Improving image of ageingImproving image of ageing

Stories in local mediaStories in local media

TV studio with older adults producing content TV studio with older adults producing content for a TV program on a local channelfor a TV program on a local channel

Intergenerational communications in positively viewed settings

Page 17: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

New Projects New Projects

International chat room International chat room

Webblog (Webblog (www.moigoda.wordpress.com) )

Free shows Free shows

Page 18: Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means Of Creating Age Friendly Environment

Video Clip Video Clip

Produced by older learners of the TV classProduced by older learners of the TV class

All the citations are the words of the All the citations are the words of the participants from their evaluationsparticipants from their evaluations