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Sonia Galinha´s reflextion... Part II

Then, in the afternoon, at 15:30 h (Sala multimedia Facultad) Valencia Defensor del Mayor  presented an interesting lecture and at 17:00 h-18:30 h: Sónia Galinha from Santarém presented “Active ageing” structured in three main points:

1. Emerging Topic  Empowerment Senior and current researches in Portugal:

On empowerment, effective participation of citizens is possible. In recent years, the concept of social and healthy participation has taken on significant importance, not only in society but also in social psychology. So, capacity and ability - empowerment, is an instrument for socio-cognitive and social interaction – communication determines. In a way, is the result of long and complex process of learning that involve not only knowledge but also the abilities, the development of attitudes and social skills, cognitive and cultural rights to which individuals and groups can communicate and act together in solving everyday problems, into the society, institutions or families.  

The inevitability of change processes, social change and technological development multimodal humanity has to face problems with the increasingly diverse and complex as necessary to respond to our collective intelligence is based on the development of new and deeper the forms of human thought, solidarity, commitment and dignity. Also, “the basic concept of empowerment is education and knowledge to every individual. We believe that the awareness and education can support an individual to become a better citizen and human being. The knowledge would enhance their capability to thrive a sustainable life”. “Empowerment is then the process of obtaining these basic opportunities for marginalized people, either directly by those people, or through the help of non-marginalized others who share their own access to these opportunities. It also includes actively thwarting attempts to deny those opportunities. Empowerment also includes encouraging, and developing the skills for, self-sufficiency, with a focus on eliminating the future need for charity or welfare in the individuals of the group. This process can be difficult to start and to implement effectively, but there are many examples of empowerment projects which have succeeded” in Sughosh India Foundation “Sughosh's meaning of empowerment”. (8 Nov 2010. (Online) Available: http://sughosh.in/Empowerment.html (accessed October 4, 2011).

For instance, RUTIS (Universities of the Third Age Network Association) is a Social Non Profit National Association which promotes the active aging and supports the Senior Universities and the Portuguese Third Age Academies (UTI). Currently there are 175 UTI in Portugal belong to RUTIS, what represents 30.000 senior students and 2.500 voluntaries teachers. A Third Age University (UTI or U3A) is a social and cultural answer, well developed in terms of equipments whose aims are to create, to develop and to organize cultural activities regularly, providing non-formal education, leisure activities and social gatherings and events for people over 50 years. The RUTIS objectives are to develop activities for the UTI, its students, teachers and managers; to raise funds and find sponsors to support the UTI; to promote volunteering among seniors and for the seniors and to increase the active aging and to develop didactic resources for senior education.

2. Active Ageing, intergeneration, communication and interdisciplinary contributions:

Empowerment senior is important because seniors are the guardians of our collective memory, and thus the privileged interpreters of that set of ideas and values ​​that govern and guide the social life. We can not forget that children, women and the elderly are one of the most vulnerable sectors of society. Similarly, the promotion of volunteerism among young people is an opportunity for generations to committed and experienced and with more time available. In a way, is the result of long and complex process of learning that involve not only knowledge but also the development of attitudes and social skills, cognitive and cultural rights to which individuals and groups can communicate and act together and solidarity in solving everyday problems.

3.Methodological Areas and intervention proposals:

In the context of social participation and its relation to consciousness of Paulo Freire, while education, learning in action, promoting a cycle of potential, to facilitate the contact and information on institutions and associations - work with elders as well as collectives. In this topic IP students built really creative an oral and poster presentation about their region or country experiences:

21:00 h Dinner in Rocafort and interesting cultural evening

PhD. Sónia Galinha    

Sonia Galinha´s reflextion... Part I

The main topic of this Life Long Learning Program ERASMUS Intensive Program, IP Memories of the Past, Hope for the Future, made possible plenty of presentations areas of seniors promotion including communicative aspects, psycosocial health and social intervention, to stablish communication channels between generations.

This interesting IP contributes to the general aims and priorities described in the ERASMUS Policy Statement considering that institutional aim is the internationalization and for that partners established as priority to develop a pro-active cooperation based on promote exchange programs for students and professors. Most of the institutional aim is the international oriention of our curricula and in that perspective this IP contributes to share some expertises with partners and to improve curricula with new knowledge and examples of good practices in the teacher training courses and non-formal education courses and promotes a positive perception and assessment of youngers compared to older people by bringing them together, their communication and knowledge.

The scientific part of the IP includes lectures, group-works, workshops, study visits and cultural evenings. So it is not difficult to imagine the success of such an IP. It wasn´t hard at all to find presentations that adjusted to the topic which the partners were interested in. Posters had an added value for the IP. During the academic year 2011/2012, the IP in Valencia definitely included a follow up. Organizers and partners took good care of preparing different thematic. Partners had opportunity to exchange opinions and points of view. We believe that kind of inforgetable project can grow in the future. Resources produced are systematized and there are established guidelines for socio-educational contexts.

On an International dialogue and enhancing the quality in higher education, this meritorious IP Coordinated by Joan Maria Senent Sanchez and Irene Verde Peleato and hosted by Universitat de Valencia, included partners as Instituto Politecnico de Santarém, Fundació “Amics de la Gent Major” de la C. Valenciana, H. E. Helmo Liège, H.E. Leonard Da Vinci, Lovaine, University of Timissoara, Università del Salento, Universitat Ramon Llull. Barcelona and University College Syddanmark.  Specifically, on Tuesday 6th, in the morning, 9:30 h Departure from the Casal, 10:30 h (Sala multimedia Facultad) Valencia’s team: Meeting with “the elder” (small groups home visits, 5 students+1 professor), 14:00 h Lunch at University.

 To be continue.....

Italian Girls´ memories!

The Intensive Program“Memory of the past hope in the future” has been an experience rich in emotions, even conflicting.

We left from Lecce at 10:30 am; waiting for the train and the connecting bus and flight, we arrived at the hostel at about 8:30 pm, enthusiastic and curious, but tired as well after carrying luggage the whole day long. Once arrived in the hostel, we saw human traces. We kept walking but… nobody came to meet us. The thinking balloon “Where are we?!”didn’t have the time to become a text balloon, because the music started and they started dancing. We stopped, puzzled… we waited… and, once the dance had finished, at last they told us “This dance is for you Italian girls”, or something like that. Happy and thankful, we clapped our hands. Finally someone came towards us, he introduced himself and started to talk to us in a quick and fluent English. We understood we had to follow him and imagined he was taking us to our rooms, but he stopped at the entrance of the hostel, he invited us to leave our luggage there and go with him to a room, where Irene and the others were, for a first meeting, during which we’ve been given the IP program.

Breakfast at 9:00 am at the Casale with the group, and departure at 9:30 to Valencia; arrival at the Faculty one hour after and beginning of the everyday different activities, but each of them interesting and stimulating: from visiting old people in Centres and houses, in the city and the villages; the considerating, sharing and class activities, to the creation of a short film about the intergenerational relationship and the starting up of blogs and web sites. The activities lasted all day long with a quick lunch break, at the canteen or in the park. In the afternoon we had free time to share with the rest of the group, and we went back to the hostel at 9:00 pm for dinner.

Besides the academic activities, we’ve been involved in cultural activities, like visiting the Museum of the artist Fallero and the exposition of the Ninot and the concert at the Music Palace.

We like remembering this experience with some adjectives:

Human

Human, because, in spite of the strict organization, the organizing people themselves showed they human side in several occasions; human for all the good relationships established, despite the linguistic differences. The other foreign professors, who at the end became a bit our own professors, have been human as well.

Bitter

Bitter, because the Salento University could have asserted itself, as the IP subject is one the professor Colazzo and his collaborators have been considering and working with for three years or more; but it didn’t. Bitterness for the negative aspect of Italy showed, and above all for concurring to show that aspect.

Hard

Hard not only for the hostel conditions, because for that a little adaptability is enough; nor for the intensive rhythm, but for having to communicate in English, that even compromised the relations in the first days.

Rich

Rich in many things. Rich in emotions, the bad ones of the first days and the good ones of the end, when, once finished the IP, we visited the city, went dancing with our colleagues and some of the professors, played and chatted with everybody during a whole night. Mute emotion expressed by the eyes and read in the eyes, without speaking, without English, and still the emotional moments of the last goodbye at the gate.

Formative

Formative, because to pit ourselves against our limits always helps us to grow. Formative because it taught us a lot and made us understand more.

And... Memorable.... “Memory of the past… hope in the future!!!”

Talayuelas Pictures

SUNDAY 11th

Today we visited Talayuelas, a municipality in the province of Cuenca, whose inhabitants are mostly elderly population. So observe the contrast between the largest in the rural area and the elders of the city. We started the day visiting the city hall of Talayuelas, where we received the mayor of the town and offered us a talk about the people of the town, the situation of older people in the village, forests and the lake, which are major tourist riches.

Then the Mayor told us that to see what was the situation of older people in rural areas throughout the morning we would divide into groups and we would go to homes of several people that the mayor had selected for the visit, as these people were the village elders. In my own case, we went to visit Fermin, a 90 year old widower who has lived all his life in Talayuelas.

The group visited Fermin were: Anna Mary, Ruth and I (Stephanie). The man told us that for 4 years who lived alone since his wife died. He has always been a farmer, but all his children have studied university least one of them. Although she lives alone, her children live in the village near his home, and every day going to visit and eat or dine together. During the day the walk, talk to the townspeople and the evening is going to play the bar with retirees. Thought the Mayor's Home is a good place for the elderly, where they meet and play cards, dominoes, etc.

Fermín we asked about the changes that the town has suffered in recent years, to which he answered that he was born in 1922 and after the war the town was quite empty. But in recent years have created bullring, theater. In town to lack a lot of manpower and engineers, that gave work to many people. They also built a health center, funeral home, sports, avenues, school, church and football field.
Almost all the village elders have worked in agriculture. Many of the elders of the village are in the same situation as him living alone or with their partners if they but receive family visits daily.

Regarding the relationship between young people and the elderly, Fermin tells us that is good, that the relations in the villages are much closer, more familiar, and that young and old have many hobbies in common, such as bulls or bands, involving people of different ages.

Fermin confesses he would not change people's lives for life in the city has grown up in rural areas and are accustomed to life here. But it also feels that loneliness is very bad and the people are most noticeable, since his wife died nothing is the same.

After visiting Fermin my group thought in all questions would need improvement. We think that the greatest problem of older people in rural areas is loneliness, and therefore could improve relations between young and old performing activities including for the elderly to take their time and in turn relate to youth that they can transmit that vitality and zest for life that they lack. But mainly, it has to change the negative attitude of the biggest watch and see them as a burden as a positive, where they can share experiences, feelings, opinions, hobbies, etc.

In conclusion, I must say that this visit I removed a lot of feelings and made me think in some situations than at other times had not thought, as my relationship with my own grandparents, the frequency of visits, dealing with older people, etc. They are also people and have much to offer and this is what we owe them also convey to them that they still have a long life ahead and their lives are valuable.

Estefanía.