Senior citizens are the group most affected by the Covid19 pandemic (loneliness, depression, and more acute illness). They are unaware of the scope of voluntary work and self-help. According to the Śląsk Voivodship Social Policy Strategy 2006-2020, community involvement of seniors is no more than 15%. There are no advocacy or grassroots peer support structures. The Śląsk Senior Council recommends community activity as one of four main areas in which to take action.
The project aims to promote voluntary work and self-help among the seniors and empower them by implementing certain self-advocacy solutions.
We will organize one-on-one digital support (training on use of e-tools and digital education) and workshops on voluntary work and self-help (principles, self-advocacy: legal, practical, and psychological aspects and benefits). We will provide, for leaders, excursions and educational workshops on communication, negotiations, self-motivation, teamwork, and working with a local government authority and local community, in which we will jointly devise a framework for operating Self-Help Clubs. We will select ten self-advocates to help 60+ people in their towns in relations with public institutions. We will create five senior clubs and hold five online club networking meetings.
Five senior support groups will be created. There will be increased community activity as well as personal development of fifty people, and the way in which they are perceived by residents and the local government authority will change.
The measures will cover fifty people 60+ from five towns of up to 50 000 inhabitants in the Śląsk voivodship.