SENIOR CAPITAL: Develop Human Capital of Seniors to Increase their Economic and Social Value in a Knowledge Based and Competitive Economy

Central Europe

The Senior Capital project, even though it represents an extension of the Q-Ageing project, is different from this last one as it does not merely promote active ageing but it reinforces the economic and social potential of the senior, both by supporting the increase and update of their competences and by channeling such experiences towards new generations. This objective will be met through an increased participation of the senior in the labor market or in the provision of social services at local level.

The Senior Capital project intends to find effective solutions to balance the negative effects of the population ageing through the reinforcement of their economic weight (people over50) that represents a continuously growing trend and, at the same time, a precious “reserve capital” for the European society. To do this, the project is based on two key points:

A)     endow seniors with capacities and competences making them able to compete;

B)      promote their integration through the labor and the participation in other activities;

C)      prepare local/regional authorities to play a key role in the management of new ways of cooperation between the educational and productive systems and of the civil society in facing the target problem 

Mapping and testing senior-oriented educational models, in line with the identified and already existing needs, by reinforcing the knowledge and competences background of people over50 in order to achieve a greater competitiveness or transfer their competences to the younger generations.

Find occupational niche where the competences and the capacities of seniors are enhanced and requested, in particular in the sector of public and social services.

Collect and test tools and methodologies on appropriate ways of seniors participation in the economic activities (flexible working schemes, voluntary work, entrepreneurship over 55)

Overcome the legal, administrative and financial obstacles that prevent seniors from training and working, through a closer cooperation and consultation of the stakeholders.

Define a proper context at local level in order to implement senior training and employment models, based on cooperation between Municipalities/Provinces and training authorities/employment agency.

Develop methods and tools in order to involve seniors in non-formal educational programs and in the labor market in general.

Develop strategies and action plans that reflect a new and better defined role of the local/regional authorities as facilitators or coordinators of services for the involvement of a higher number of seniors in vocational training or employment paths.

Implement actions capable of changing mentality and the attitude of the target groups and of society in general towards seniors.

The project is divided into three main phases:

1. ANALYSIS/PREPARATION (3.2): Action 3.2 supply and demand (+ needs) analysis of the training and employment of the senior population (over50), with particular focus on the evaluation of the behavior towards and of the seniors, even on the basis of previous Q-Ageing survey. The survey results will be compared in each territory in order to give birth to the first draft of a “cross-border portfolio” that will be used to plan the pilot actions (action 4.2). The partners will involve all the key stakeholders in the research and will map the administrative, financial and legal obstacles that impede the access to senior training and employment. There will also be a survey on the best practices at European level
2. PILOT PROJECTS AND ROADMAP: pilot project and the dialogue with the stakeholders will be carried out contemporaneously in order to obtain cross-check information useful for the drafting of the roadmap and of the final products. The partners will test the different models by following the same procedure and a shared methodology: 1) involvement, 2) educational tools, 3) training,  4)employment of seniors.  The 7 countries involved in the pilot trial will test the different aspects of this process and will constantly cooperate in small groups made up of 2-3 partners through peer-review meetings and exchange visits in order to maximize the transfer of knowledge and to achieve comparable results. While a common evaluation of the single pilot will be developed in order to provide the results for the realization of the final products, the partners will define their own roadmap through the results of the consultation with the stakeholders (recommendations for the creation of institutional, financial and legal conditions for the new models and the services that promote the training and the employment of seniors)
3. FINAL OUTPUTS: the final products will be realized through the analysis of the results of the previous phases. The project partners will have to create a Senior Capital portfolio for the Central Europe area and get a “local” version that takes the cue from the models contained in the cross-border version. A strategy for Central Europe, developed on the basis of the portfolio, will indicate how these services will be introduced, made operative and financed at local level. The strategy will be the starting point for the local action plans presented for its approval while the roadmap will have to be agreed between the involved institutions and the training and employment agencies. 

Municipality of Ujbuda (Hungary)

Province of Treviso

Municipality of Maribor

NOWA (Austria)

PRIZMA (Slovenia)

Municipality of Sopot (Poland)

The Liguria Region

National Academy of Medicine (Italy)

Center for the development of the Civil Society of Freiburg  (Germany)