Rolnicka Centre
Holiday Together
This project involves volunteer training and opportunities for ageing people. Seniors get to participate in actively helping to improve their community, and in so doing remain a vital part of society. They feel needed and are able to both teach from what they’ve learned over the course of their lives, as well as learning something new from the opportunities that they get. They are able to not only stay active and connected, but are able to form new social connections through the volunteering opportunities given them. It is open to anyone who has time and desire to get involved, including people who are unemployed or otherwise available.
This project focuses on encouraging social involvement and reducing loneliness among older members of the Evangelical Church of Iceland community. Three times every summer, trained staff from the church takes a group of about 30 older people on a vacation in the countryside of Iceland. People who attend these trips are almost exclusively over the age of 80, and would not be able to take such a trip on their own for health reasons. Friendly interaction between the participants is encouraged, and various activities are organised.
Czech Republic
The benefit of the programme is not just for the older people who take part. Projects are done for local NGOs who set up the organisation. Therefore, people in the local community are the most direct beneficiaries of this club. Members meet regularly in a public place to organise new projects and work on existing ones. All the volunteer activities in which the users participate are self-selected based on skill and interest. This means that the seniors plug in where they will feel the most useful, and they are put in contact with people who share their interests. There are also several opportunities every year to participate in activities of personal interest or benefit, such as memory training, discussion about adult education for ageing people, and cultural discussions. In September 2012 the Diaconal center Rolnicka co-organised a public conference to the topic of “Volunteering in the Year of Active Ageing” which took place in Sobeslav, South Bohemia. (Member of Diakonia ECCB) Diakonie ČCE – středisko Rolnička Soběslav, Czech Republic +420 381522054 – www.rolnicka.cz
Ageing Well: Together
Iceland
The trip is made possible by six staff who accompany each holiday. Two of the six are trained care professionals, who can help in case of a health emergency and make sure that attendees who are in ill-health remain safe and able to enjoy their time. The remaining four staff people are in charge of practical needs, such as preparing meals. The project is available to all older people, with a priority on people with low incomes. The effects of this unique project are very positive: the older people who participate are often filled with new hope about living with illness or the effects of aging, and the time spent away eases the burden of full-time care on friends and relatives. Because many older individuals are confined to their homes almost year-round, this is a chance to experience social interaction with peers, make friends, and enjoy a special time away from day-to-day life. The project is funded by the church and the State Department of Welfare, and also partially by the participants themselves. (Member: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland) Ellimalanefnd, Valgerdur Gisladottir Reykjavik, Iceland +354 587 1500 – kirkjan@kirkjan.is
Eurodiaconia Award entries
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