Unlocking the potential of voluntary community initiatives for elderly care

With the continued demographic change and pressure on European care systems, local groups of volunteers increasingly start to organize care and support for frail older people in their neighbourhoo...

The project aimed to enhance the skills of coordinators with the ultimate goal of strengthening the impact of community initiatives that support the social inclusion of frail older people. We focused on collecting and prioritizing needs for training and knowledge. And with the project we also aimed to raise awareness among stakeholders (public authorities, care, and wellbeing organizations) about these initiatives and encouraging collaboration between organisations and municipalities to improve social cohesion in neighbourhoods. The project emphasized the continuous involvement of coordinators in the development process, reflecting their experiences, needs, and practices. The goal was to empower coordinators, providing them with learning opportunities to improve their ability to manage their work in the community centres and neighbourhoods, using digital tools, and enhancing the sustainability of these efforts. Additionally, the project focussed on improving volunteer management, increasing volunteer participation, and developing innovative programs to engage frail older people. The results aimed to enable partner organizations to improve their programs for social inclusion for the ultimate target group of frail older adults.