OLDER, 2019 - 2020

OLDER, guided tour at Poul la Cour museum, in Askov during Study visit to Denmark, March 2020

OLDER, guided tour at Hygum Hjemstavnsgård during the study visit to Denmark, March 2020

OLDER, guided tour at Tørskind Grusgrav during the study visit to Denmark, March 2020

OLDER, guided tour at TVejen Art Museum during the study visit to Denmark, March 2020

OLDER, Vejers beach with storm during the study visit to Denmark, March 2020

Nordplus OLDER, 2019 - 2020

Interfolk was partner in Nordplus Adult Mapping project: “Education of Older Adults: Comparing Baltic and Nordic Frameworks" (OLDER), June 2029 - Dec 2020 (19 months).

Key output:

The partnership circle

included 4 partners from 4 Nordic-Baltic countries that represented a transnational sum of varied expertise and experiences in the field of Adult Education , which we could not find in just one of the participating countries.

Background

The project addresses the issue of older adult marginalization in European life-long learning architecture. Even though at a political level ambitions to create opportunities for older adults to continue participating in educational activities are declared (see for example, European Active Ageing Index), in reality planning of educational policies still rely on economic justifications (Panitsidou et al. 2012) and largely prioritize working-age people.

Moreover, a recent study also shows that participation in lifelong learning among older adults in Baltic countries may be more than five times lower than for the working-age population (National NGO Network for Education 2019). Nonetheless, currently it is impossible to test these findings on a larger scale, as relevant data still needs to be gathered and aggregated.

In a nutshell, the project highlights a gap in research and policy-making and aims to fill it by mapping and comparing Nordic and Baltic older adult education frameworks. At the same time, through foreseen advocacy and dissemination activities it seeks to create pressure from “below,” pushing for more quality older adult education opportunities in partner countries.

Aim and objectives

The aim is to facilitate a positive change in the field of older adult education, making it more inclusive and accessible by exposing relevant organizations and institutions to best Nordic/ Baltic practices.

Objective 1: Prepare 4 individual country studies, mapping the existing coordination and financing frameworks in partner countries, taking relevant institutions, actors and legislation into account; in the light of the best practices identified, formulate 4 sets of tailor-made recommendations.

Objective 2: prepare 1 overarching study in English to be shared via international older adult education networks.

Objective 3: prepare 4 individual advocacy plans for engaging relevant government institutions and lobbying for more accessible and inclusive older adult education policies.

Objective 4: organize 4 roundtables with policy-makers and older adult education organisations in partner countries with a view to a) encouraging implementation of quality standards in older adult education programmes, b) advocating for better older adult education policies.

In the light of these issues, the goal of the project was to prepare a research study, comparing coordination and financing frameworks of older adult education in selected Baltic and Nordic countries and formulate country-tailored recommendations for policy-makers.

Activities

Building on peer-to-peer exchange and material gathered during study trips to partner countries, the project will focus on four-different levels:

organizational (how is the quality of older adult education programmes assured?),
municipal (how do municipal governments coordinate and finance older adult education?),
national (which national bodies are responsible for development and implementation of relevant legislation?), and
European (how do European structural and other external funds contribute to development of older adult education?).

The research study will be produced in English and also available in languages of partner organisations. In the long-term, it will serve as an advocacy tool and help partners to engage policy-makers and push for more inclusive and effective older adult education in their countries.

More information

OLDER, Detailed project plan, after approval

Task plan

FIRST PHASE - FOUND AND MAP

1) Kick-off meeting in Vilnius. June 2019

2) Literature review and exchange of sources. July – Sept 2019

3) Preparatory Skype meeting, Sept 2029

4) 5-day study visit to Lithuania and Latvia. October 2019

5) Analysis of gathered data. Nov–Dec 2019

SECOND PHASE - ELABORATE STUDY

6) Evaluation of the first phase of the project via Skype. Jan 2020

7) Literature research and exchange of sources. Jan - Feb 2020

8) Preparatory Skype meeting. Feb 2020

9) 5-day study visit to Denmark. March 2020

10) Analysis of gathered data. March -April 2020

11) Literature research and exchange of sources. April - May 2020

12) Preparatory Skype meeting. May 2020

13) 5-day Study visit to Iceland, June 2020 (Cancelled due to Covid 19)

THIRD PHASE - PROVIDE REPORT

14) Prepare drafts of country-tailored research studies. June – Sept 2020

15) Prepare final drafts. Sept - Nov 2020

16) Final Skype meeting will be held. Nov 2020

17) Prepare multilateral report. Nov 2020

18) Dissemination with Recommendations for organisations. Nov - Dec 2020

OLDER, visit to Third Age University in Vilnius during Baltic Study visit, Oct 2019

OLDER, visit to Culture House in the culture house in Aizkraukle, Latvia during Baltic Study visit, Oct 2019

OLDER, Kick-of meeting,, June 2019 in the EU-house, Vilnius

OLDER, visit to Third Age University in Vilnius during Baltic Study visit, Oct 2019

OLDER, Session in Askov Folk High School during study visit to Denmark, March 2020