About – United Generations – Adult Learning in Europe

About the project

Uniting Generations

Our project specializing in educating seniors address the unique needs of older adults in the digital age, promoting digital inclusion, empowering independence, facilitating social connections, fostering lifelong learning, and enhancing economic participation.

The project is implemented in the partnership of seven organisations based in Germany, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary and France, and is co-funded by the European Union.

Why we do it?

Educating seniors is worthy of trust because it empowers them with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the digital world, promotes social inclusion and connection, enhances cognitive abilities, and fosters intergenerational collaboration.

Bringing together seniors and young people fosters intergenerational collaboration and bridges the digital generation gap. Young people can help seniors unlock new opportunities and connections.

The consortium

Key Outputs

The project seeks to build a variety of tools and practices for institutions and organisations, working with senior learners.

Mapping intergenerational learning focused on basic skills

The developed United Generations Index will provide concrete data for the profile of disadvantaged adults (60+) and the digital natives, which will be used to review existing practices and build on successful ones for the up-skilling program later on.

Educational backpack, competence framework and validation tool

The complete “Digital and English Literacy backpack” designed to meet the physical, mental and scientific needs of senior citizens will include:

Digital and Literacy Competence Framework,
online self-paced courses,
flip-book manuals and notes,
Open Badges Ecosystem
based on Digital skills and English Literacy competence framework.

Guidebook on development and implementation of strategies for up-skilling of adults

The output aims to:

pilot test the up-skilling programme to a group of adults/seniors,
create a United Generations community with participants and interested people, in order to ensure sustainability of the products, while enriching volunteers to be taking the role of mentors, i.e. grandchildren, ICT experts, teachers etc.
pilot-test the provision of on-line training for a small number of senior citizens,
design sustainability strategies for the project and products at the local or national level for further exploitation.

Interactive online learning platform

The dynamic and interactive online learning space will host the developed educational materials, aimed at disadvantaged seniors, and support the digital up-skilling of adults to contribute to their self-determined life as long as possible.

Toolkit for digitally oriented learning pathways & Up-skilling Program

The toolkit will include all products of the project, together with templates, good practices, guidelines for creating synergies and approaching marginalized seniors, monitoring tools, road map for implementation, exploitation mechanisms, as well as various strategies for sustainability.

The development of this innovative toolkit is expected to empower organisations, in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness through the implementation of the “United Generation Digital and Literacy Backpack”.

Strategy backpack for sustainability and exploitation

The design and production of sustainability strategy, which will be used for sustainability purposes, especially for the online learning platform.

The strategy produced for planning and exploitation will enable partner organisations, adult centres, public and local authorities, stakeholders etc. to sustain the products which can easily be used after the completion of the project, as they are offered both hard copy (ICT Guides) and online.

Our community

Throughout the duration of the project we met a great number of people, interested in teaching seniors and learning with/from them. Become one of them!

Why do we need education for seniors?

Intergenerational collaboration

Bringing together seniors and young people fosters intergenerational collaboration and bridges the digital generation gap. Younger generations have grown up with technology and are often more proficient in using digital tools and platforms. By involving them as supporters, seniors can benefit from their expertise and guidance, creating a mutually beneficial learning environment.

Effective learning experience

Young people can provide practical, hands-on assistance to seniors, helping them navigate digital devices, software applications, and online platforms. This personalized support can make the learning process more engaging and effective for seniors, as they receive real-time feedback and guidance tailored to their individual needs.

Empowerment and independence

Digital competence empowers seniors by enabling them to independently access information, communicate with others, and engage in various online activities. By learning from young people, seniors can gain the skills and confidence needed to navigate the digital world on their own terms, reducing dependency on others for assistance.

Social connection and inclusion

Digital literacy opens up a world of social connection and inclusion for seniors. By becoming digitally competent, they can participate in online communities, connect with family and friends through social media, access telehealth services, engage in lifelong learning, and explore new hobbies or interests. Young people can help seniors unlock these opportunities and ensure they feel connected in an increasingly digital society.

Enhancing cognitive abilities

Learning new skills, such as digital competence, has been shown to enhance cognitive abilities and improve brain health in seniors. Engaging with technology requires problem-solving, memory recall, and continuous learning, which can stimulate mental activity and potentially reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Promoting cross-generational understanding

By actively involving young people in the process of educating seniors, it promotes cross-generational understanding and empathy. Younger generations gain a deeper appreciation for the challenges faced by older adults in adapting to technology, while seniors benefit from the patience, guidance, and support of young people. This interaction helps break down generational stereotypes and fosters a sense of unity and shared experiences between different age groups in society.