Active Silver (NEW UPDATE)
The European population is ageing, this is also the fact in Spain. About 31% of Terra Chá’s area – primarily the council of Vilalba – is older than 65. For an active inclusion of the elderly and to overcome the bridge between the various stages of life, Vilalba and surrounding areas have carried out intergenerational solidarity activities in the form of ICT training.
The project, carried out by Vilalba’s Sociocommunitarian
Centre of Xunta de Galicia, focuses on the improvement and
development of the computer skills of the elderly with the general
aim to encourage an active social participation. Besides a focus on
the elderly people, the project also looks after inmates and people
with disabilities. When the elderly finished the IT training they
transfer their knowledge to young people with a disability and
inmates in the Teixeiro Prison.
The objectives of Active Silver
- The project has the following objectives:
- Reduce the so-called ‘digital gap’ of people with a disability, inmates and the elderly;
- Encourage social participation of the elderly;
- Improve intergenerational solidarity activities.
The project collaborates with two foundations: ASVIGAL (aimed at disabled people) and ‘La Caixa’(aimed at inmates). The elderly receive IT training which results in the ability to become a trainer themselves. From this moment on they give classes on a weekly bases to disabled people and inmates. This way social inclusion is stimulated on more than one way.
The first results
- Social participation among the elderly has increased;
- 75 inmates from the Teixeirso’s prison have been trained;
- 12 people with a physical or mental disability have been trained;
- Intergenerational relationships have been created to exchange life experiences;
- Social prejudices have been reduces or eliminated;
- The self confidence of the elderly have been improved.
26 Jan 2012