Lifelong Learning Institution as a Means of Creating Age-Friendly Environment Gulnara Minnigaleeva, Ph.D. Senior Resource Center “ Wisdom Ripening” Tuymazy, Bashkortostan, Russian Federation

Agenda What is Tuymazy, Russian Federation and the situation of older persons in it? Why did we choose a form of a lifelong learning organization to proceed with AFC project? What benefits did older people gain from participation in it?

What is Tuymazy, Russian Federation and the situation of older persons in it?

Why did we choose a form of a lifelong learning organization to proceed with AFC project?

What benefits did older people gain from participation in it?

What is the situation of older persons in Russia? Post Soviet country in transition - change of regime, economy and ideology Rapid aging of population Life expectancy 61 for men and 73 for women (2006) Eligibility for Government provided pensions is 60 for men and 55 for women Minimal pension constitutes only 46% of cost of living

Post Soviet country in transition - change of regime, economy and ideology

Rapid aging of population

Life expectancy 61 for men and 73 for women (2006)

Eligibility for Government provided pensions is 60 for men and 55 for women

Minimal pension constitutes only 46% of cost of living

What is the situation of older persons in Tuymazy?

What is the situation in Tuymazy ( data from the WHO “bottom-up” research stage)? Few opportunities for social interactions and communications with peers Perception of younger generation as immoral, disrespectful, irresponsible Usually close relationships between generations in the families, but not age-friendly attitudes to older persons in general Effort to recognize, but recognition only happens twice a year Two clubs and a network of Veterans’ councils, but membership is extremely limited, and the councils are largely dysfunctional

Few opportunities for social interactions and communications with peers

Perception of younger generation as immoral, disrespectful, irresponsible

Usually close relationships between generations in the families, but not age-friendly attitudes to older persons in general

Effort to recognize, but recognition only happens twice a year

Two clubs and a network of Veterans’ councils, but membership is extremely limited, and the councils are largely dysfunctional

What other challenges did we consider? Disjunctions of past Soviet ideology and present capitalist mentality Historical dependence on governmental solutions Skepticism and fear of any civic engagement activities, Post soviet “allergy” to volunteering Funding (no culture of giving) The city authorities' fear of responsibility and any organized activities

Disjunctions of past Soviet ideology and present capitalist mentality

Historical dependence on governmental solutions

Skepticism and fear of any civic engagement activities, Post soviet “allergy” to volunteering

Funding (no culture of giving)

The city authorities' fear of responsibility and any organized activities

Why did building on “Folk school” (Third Age University) form seem to be appropriate? A form of civic engagement widely used in the Soviet times Familiar and therefore trustworthy for older persons Traditional and therefore trustworthy for conservative city authorities Appropriate response for the needs expressed during the research stage

A form of civic engagement widely used in the Soviet times

Familiar and therefore trustworthy for older persons

Traditional and therefore trustworthy for conservative city authorities

Appropriate response for the needs expressed during the research stage

Tuymazy Folk School statistics (October 2007-April 2008) 35 local volunteers 15 older volunteers 350 1-2 hour classes 12 volunteer instructors taught 15 courses 120 older adults attended 3 School celebrations with 25-40 learners participating Several informal gatherings Multiple informal connections

35 local volunteers

15 older volunteers

350 1-2 hour classes

12 volunteer instructors taught 15 courses

120 older adults attended

3 School celebrations with 25-40 learners participating

Several informal gatherings

Multiple informal connections

Tuymazy Folk School statistics (October 2007-April 2008)

What benefits were created by the lifelong learning organization? Participation, volunteering & recognition Intergenerational communications Participation in decision making Improving image of aging

Participation, volunteering & recognition

Intergenerational communications

Participation in decision making

Improving image of aging

Volunteering

Volunteering Participation in meaningful activities outside of family settings Public recognition of older adults' contributions (stories in media and government letters of recognition of contrubutions )

Participation in meaningful activities outside of family settings

Public recognition of older adults' contributions (stories in media and government letters of recognition of contrubutions )

Local college students interned as tutors in computer class

Local college students interned as tutors in computer class Meaningful intergenerational communications outside of family settings Break through indifference of younger people towards civic participation Improvement of their attitudes towards older generation Improvement of older people's opinion towards youngsters

Meaningful intergenerational communications outside of family settings

Break through indifference of younger people towards civic participation

Improvement of their attitudes towards older generation

Improvement of older people's opinion towards youngsters

Participation in decision-making processes University Council Communications with Governmental officials Written evaluation from all learners

University Council

Communications with Governmental officials

Written evaluation from all learners

Improving image of ageing Stories in local media TV studio with older adults producing content for a TV program on a local channel Intergenerational communications in positively viewed settings

Stories in local media

TV studio with older adults producing content for a TV program on a local channel

Intergenerational communications in positively viewed settings

New Projects International chat room Webblog ( www.moigoda.wordpress.com ) Free shows

International chat room

Webblog ( www.moigoda.wordpress.com )

Free shows

Video Clip Produced by older learners of the TV class All the citations are the words of the participants from their evaluations

Produced by older learners of the TV class

All the citations are the words of the participants from their evaluations