Cons©elhos Repórteres 55+

CONS©ELHOS REPÓRTERES 55+

Cons©elhos Repórteres 55+ promotes the active participation of older and isolated people in local community transformation, in order to create better conditions for active ageing.

Methodology

Peer Mentoring Cascade
Process of active involvement of older people from rural communities, supported by 3 complementary groups: Technical Group (WG); Orientation and Development Group (GOD); Cons©elhos Repórteres 55+ (CR55 +), composed of: GT – 7 specialists in psychogerontology, geriatrics, geography of aging and participatory intervention, to train, train and support the project; GOD – people 55+, volunteers (12 mentors), with heterogeneous skills, empathic and generative profile, signaled locally for advice, motivation, facilitation and reflection functions, aiming at the identification of needs and solutions; CR 55+ – subgroups of 6 to 12 people, who will walk through their communities identifying opportunities and signaling existing barriers, as well as potential for building aging-friendly communities. The aim is to anchor locally the dynamics enhanced by the project after its completion, through replication in other communities

Innovative Aspects / Sustainability

  • The project, oriented towards a register of co-identification of barriers, needs, opportunities and resources, combating, among peers, isolation / exclusion processes, assigning cascading competences, allowing the shaping of local solutions and measures aimed at achieving an aging-friendly environment and old age;
  • The implementation of the project is carried out by the recipients themselves, in territories where there is no systematic intervention in building friendly communities of all ages, allowing:
  • Provide participants with the necessary skills to identify contexts of exclusion, contributing to the characterization of their causes and the hierarchy of solutions, designing strategies and recommendations to combat isolation;
  • Develop strategies aimed at empowering older and isolated people, offering training in a locally based context, strengthening skills for gathering information, identifying needs, respecting diversity, some of which with digital support resources after skills training;
  • The performance of an interdisciplinary team: CT / GOD / CR55 + ensuring a horizontal dialogue between technicians and direct beneficiaries;
  • The possibility of methodological replication in neighboring communities promoting the generation of training networks;
  • Create, in each community, a network of organizations, public and private, that receive the recommendations of the CR 55+ and actively work on their implementation.
  • New interactions and dynamics at community level generated among the local inhabitants;
  • Scholarship of mentors able to perpetuate the project’s actions;

Partnerships

Implementing partnership: University of Coimbra – Faculty of Arts, Medicine and Psychology
The UC coordinates technical and scientific activities related to the implementation of the project and collaborates in the monitoring of actions.

Intervention areas

Rural areas in the municipalities of Coimbra:

Arganil, Figueira da Foz, Oliveira do Hospital and Góis.
For this, it has the support of several structures of Cáritas of Coimbra: Centro N.ª Sr.ª dos Milagres (Cernache – Coimbra), Residential Structure Divino Salvador (Arganil), Pomares Day Care Center (Arganil), S. Martinho da Cortiça Day Care Center (Arganil), Centro N.ª Sr.ª da Boa Viagem (Leirosa – Figueira da Foz), S. Paio de Gramaços Day Care Center (Oliveira do Hospital) and Sagrada Família Residential Structure (Cabreira – Gois).

MAIN TASKS OF CDC IN THE PROJECT:

Cáritas de Coimbra coordinates the project leading the following activities and collaborating in the other actions led by UC:

  • Technical, administrative and financial coordination;
  • Disclosure of the project and recruitment of volunteers;
  • Implementation of mentoring and acting strategies
  • Construction and negotiation of locally based solutions;
  • Returning results to the community and supporting project evaluation.
PROJECT SUMMARY

Project Name: CONS©ELHOS REPÓRTERES 55 +

Project Acronym: CR 55+

Start date: 01-01-2020

End date: 01-01-2021

Total Budget: 48 410,00€

Project Coordinator: Cáritas Diocesana de Coimbra

Partners: Universidade de Coimbra: Faculdade de Letras, Medicina e Psicologia

PROJECT FUNDING:

This project was distinguished by the BPI “la Caixa” Rural 2019 Awards which recognizes, and financially supports, initiatives that promote the improvement of quality of life and equal opportunities for people in situations of social vulnerability.

 

This project is funded by the BPI “la Caixa” Rural 2019 programme.

NEWS:

Cáritas Coimbra and University of Coimbra train community mentors in rural areas

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