BRInging Digitalisation to the older GEneration

"<< Background >>21st-century society is more diverse and complex due to technological and social changes, impacting intergenerational relationships across Europe. Strong social and digital skills are essential for bridging the gap between older and younger generations.Digitalisation enhances active ageing, enabling better social connections and participation. Innovative activities, including youth involvement, improve flexibility and engagement. BRIDGE addresses the needs of community center staff, older adults, and young people, aligning with Erasmus+ priorities and the EU Digital Education Plan (2021-2027).Research highlights the lack of social and digital skills in retirement homes, limiting older adults’ participation in modern society. BRIDGE responds by fostering skill development and inclusion.Our aim was to provide an innovative solution package for various stakeholders.<< Objectives >>The interaction between the young and the old generation played a major role. Digitalisation means freedom for older people, more intensive contact with friends and family and thus longer and better participation. Using digital tools contributed to their social integration into society.BRIDGE aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of the methodology and methods and deliverables for educators and staff in order to increase the digital skills of older people.The older generation improved their social contacts with the society and feel better too. Youngsters had better contacts with the older generation by intergenerational events.The general objective for BRIDGE is to improve the educational and didactical skills from the educators / staff. This is closely related to the chosen topics ""active ageing"" and ""bridging intercultural, intergenerational and social divide"".Specific objectives:Improve the knowledge and skills from educators and staff about methodology as a trainer and the digital tools in order to increase the digital skills of older people,Improve digital skills of older people, leading to improved social inclusion in the 21st century society,Improve intergenerational contacts between older people and youngsters.<< Implementation >>During the project lifetime, we carried out different activities, which contributed to our results. Besides development activities, partner meetings, feedback sessions we involved directly our target groups. We developed specific training material for staff in-home care and care at home. The consortium developed ONLINE LEARNING MATERIALS to teach seniors digital skills such as using tablets, taking photos, and uploading content, all partners provided TRAINING SESSIONS for younger participants on video recording, editing, and digital storytelling. The partnership created VIDEO TUTORIALS and an ONLINE COOKBOOK, featuring interactive content and step-by-step cooking guides and we launched a dedicated WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN to promote digital inclusion and share project results. We conducted interviews with seniors to document their culinary heritage and personal stories. We developed a cookbook, an initiative to modernize traditional dishes while preserving their cultural significance and culinary heritage. The project partners organized cooking sessions where older adults shared traditional recipes, and younger participants assisted in preparing, adapting, and digitizing them.<< Results >>1.Desk Research to identify available training materials that can be used by older people.2.A learning guide for educators, is a 76 pages document in which we developed methodological recommendations for the development of the competences of staff members who are involved in non-formal learning activities specific to our target group3.Digital regional cookbook toolbox in 40 pages, translated to 6 languages.4.Guidebook and training material for volunteers involved in elderly care work (six units, 18 hours training material)5.Intergenerational cooking event toolbox (with implementation bluprint and templates)6.Country reports about Educators training, involvement of elderly people and youngsters’ involvement.7.Countries’ cookbooks and complex Bridge-cookbook. 8.Country reports about the cooking events of all partners."