Design of participatory intergenerational learning for social cohesion

The idea for the project was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, which dramatically disrupted the daily lives of millions of people in the European Union and around the world. Numerous new challenges emerged in all sectors, affecting political, social, cultural and financial processes. To cope and continue during confinements or under highly restrictive measures, learning has been forced to go digital, with many positive effects on learners already proficient in digital skills and ICT use. However, this transition has left large sectors of the population "digitally excluded", particularly senior citizens over the age of 65. The project set out to meet the two main needs of two target groups: - Combating the exclusion of disadvantaged older adults aged 65 and over who have limited digital skills, or who would like to improve their digital skills. - Capacity building for adult educators interested in promoting intergenerational learning and improving the digital competence and skills of seniors.

FLOURISH CENTERS aims to empower the most disadvantaged older adults facing social exclusion, due to many factors, including their limited participation in digital culture. Through intergenerational activities around cultural heritage, adults interacted with young people and we were able to achieve the following objectives: - Develop the digital skills of disadvantaged older adults through intergenerational learning interventions, and promote their active and participatory role in (digital) society. - Fighting the digital divide between generations and the social exclusion of older adults through interventions focused on cultural heritage. Similarly, we have been able to provide educators and teaching staff, whether they work in formal or non-formal education with disadvantaged adults, particularly disadvantaged older people, with the tools they need to develop their digital skills and abilities while working with adults, either seniors or young people.

The project was divided into 3 main work packages: - WP1: Project Management. PISTES was responsible for the general activities related to project management, developed & shared with the consortium all the necessary documents, tools & methods to ensure an effective strategy for monitoring the project. Other activities were included in this WP like dissemination activities, Internal Evaluation, creating & updating the project’s website. - WP 2: Material Development. This package involved the design & creation of each output: PR1-“FLOURISHING”: Online Learning Platform led by PISTES , PR2-FLOURISH CENTERS: Intergenerational Cultural Affinity Spaces led by Synthesis & PR3-FLOURISH: Living virtual experiences (LIVE) exhibition led by INNOVATION HIVE. The leading organization was responsible for the guidance & development of the Output in collaboration with all the other partners. - WP 3: Training & Testing This package include the activities to train adult educators on how to use the material & resources developed by the project within an international context (C1) & then on the local level. It also included the testing of the learning modules by the target groups of the project in the different national languages.

The project developed the following results: - Creation of an online platform with 6 modules on intergenerational learning and digital activities around cultural heritage. Each module has been translated into all the languages of the partnership: French, Greek, German and Italian. 4 modules were aimed directly at young and senior adults, and 2 modules were aimed at adult educators. All modules are freely accessible on the project website. - Setting up affinity spaces in the form of a series of face-to-face workshops between young people and seniors, and the creation of video vignettes around cultural heritage. An e-booklet of best practices was produced following the workshops and translated into the partners' languages. - Creation of an online exhibition space to share a new, modern, digital vision of cultural heritage, inspired by the work carried out during the affinity spaces, with 40 videos and explanations from the 5 partner countries.