Educational counselling to improve the quality of life for people 55+

<< Background >>The demographic shift caused by the rapidly aging population in Europe has created an urgent need to support the well-being of individuals aged 55 and above. While life expectancy is increasing, older adults often face barriers in accessing meaningful, personalized, and age-appropriate educational opportunities. Many still possess valuable knowledge, skills, and motivation to contribute to society, but may lack the tools or support to do so effectively. This project addresses these needs by promoting active aging and lifelong learning through structured educational counselling. By offering guidance tailored to the specific needs of older individuals, the project fosters a sense of purpose, strengthens their social engagement, and enhances their personal development. In doing so, it supports not only the individuals themselves but also the communities they remain an active part of. This initiative also aligns with EU strategies like the Europe 2020 agenda, which emphasize lifelong learning as essential for personal growth and social inclusion. By offering tailored educational counselling, the project encourages ongoing learning and strengthens social participation in adults aged 55 and above.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to promote active aging and lifelong learning by developing and testing a non-vocational educational counselling service for people aged 55+. One key objective was to design an innovative and accessible model of counselling tailored to the needs and interests of older adults, who are often professionally inactive, have a lot of free time and would like to spend it interesting ways. In parallel, a practical guide for adult education staff was created to support professionals working in this field. The project also focused on capacity building: at least six adult education staff members (three from each partner organization) enhanced their competences through joint research and the exchange of best practices. The aim was to address the shortcomings in our offers in the field of non-professional educational counselling for people aged 55+. During the testing phase, ten participants aged 55+ (five in each partner country) received individualized educational counselling. As a long-term impact, the project aimed to expand the educational offer of at least four adult education providers (two from each partner country), enabling them to integrate educational counselling as a regular service for the 55+ age group.<< Implementation >>The project was carried out through a structured set of activities designed to develop, test, and disseminate an educational counselling service for people aged 55+. First, the design and development of the counselling model were undertaken, tailored to the specific needs and interests of older adults. This included defining the service structure, tools, and delivery methods.A key output was the creation of a practical Guide for Staff, which provides adult education professionals with methodological guidance, templates, and recommendations to implement the service in their institutions.The Guide’s development was informed by the final research report from the project’s first phase, which combined national reports and included joint conclusions and recommendations.Throughout the project, partners engaged in the exchange of good practices, sharing knowledge and experience to strengthen staff competences and improve service quality. Dissemination activities ensured the visibility and impact of the project at local and international levels.All activities were supported by continuous project management and coordination, ensuring timely progress, quality control, and effective communication between partner organizations.<< Results >>The project resulted in the creation of an innovative, non-vocational educational counselling service tailored to the needs of individuals aged 55+. This service was piloted and refined based on real user feedback during the testing phase. As a key supporting tool, a practical guide for adult education staff was developed. It includes clear guidelines, recommendations, and document templates for implementing and managing the counselling service effectively.A final research report prepared in the first phase of the project compiled Polish and German national report findings, presenting joint conclusions and future recommendations. The project also contributed to the professional development of six adult education staff members (three from each partner institution), who enhanced their competences through participation in joint research, training activities, and the exchange of good practices. As a result, both partner institutions increased their staff capacity and institutional expertise in the field of adult education. The project also led to the expansion of the educational offer in two partner countries, establishing non-vocational counselling for older adults as a new, sustainable service within four adult education entities.