Learning in Life, Life in Learning

<< Background >>Having been active for a long time in the field of adult education, we have noticed that the concept of learning in later life does not often receive the proper understanding and support from the 50+ age group, especially disadvantageous ones. This particularly concerns recognizing the connections between learning, personal development, and the quality of everyday life. Additionally, adult educators do not always manage to notice, bring out, and emphasize such connections. They also often lack ideas on how to use elements of everyday life for educational purposes and how to more creatively use local social, cultural, and environmental resources. Both adult learners and educators have problems to realize that life itself can be perceived and consequently used as an ongoing learning process. Different lifestyles, practiced in various countries, environments, and even by individual people, offer a fascinating opportunity to stimulate curiosity and natural learning, which not only brings benefits but, most importantly, joy and a sense of living life meaningfully.The project aimed to address the need to recognize and use the connections between life and learning.<< Objectives >>In carrying out the project, we aimed to achieve (and succeeded in doing so) three main objectives:I. Improving the quality of work and educational practices of partner organizations by developing a broader and deeper understanding of the relationship between the quality of everyday life and lifelong learning.II. Supporting the inclusion of adult learners with fewer opportunities by designing attractive and inclusive activities that build connections between learning and their daily lives.III. Developing a common foundation for long-term and diverse transnational cooperation between partners, which could expand to include other bodies and bring a European dimension to the local level.<< Implementation >>The following activities were carried out within the project:1. Management: organizational, administrative, and financial tasks.2. Organizing the international kick-off meeting in Italy.3. Preparing the foundation for project activities at the coordinator and partner levels.4. Developing the educational program for the visit of Italian learners to Poland.5. Developing the educational program for the visit of Polish learners to Italy. 6. Preparing and implementing the visit of Italian learners to Poland.7. Preparing and implementing the visit of Polish learners to Italy.8. Developing and implementing a series of diverse educational activities related to the five main topics of the project – in Poland and Italy.9. Preparing and implementing an online meeting for learners and staff from both partner organizations.10. Organizing the international closing meeting of the project in Poland.11. Evaluation, promotional, and dissemination activities.<< Results >>The results achieved are as follows: - increased knowledge, experience and creativity of educators in partner organizations in combining everyday life and learning and their awareness of the inclusive potential of non-formal and informal learning - enriched and expanded educational offer for middle-aged and older learners in partner organizations, in the Polish organization (during and immediately after the project) 3 additional educational programs were launched, in the Italian organization the content of existing ones was enriched - strengthened integration and increased diversity of learners in partner organizations, - significantly increased digital competences of staff and learners, in particular in the Polish organization - new ideas for classes and motivational strategies and educational materials for further use were created, - significantly increased interest (in both organizations) in the culture and history of partner countries - increased capacity of partner organizations for transnational cooperation, a solid base for the development of this cooperation at various levels was also created,