Space for Seniors
A space for dialogue and for spending time together
We create space for seniors from over 20 municipalities. We understand the word “space” broadly – both as a space for dialogue: conversation, needs assessment, planning and cooperation, among others within senior councils, and as friendly places that we analyse and design together with seniors so that they best meet their needs and expectations.
Senior councils
We support the creation of municipal senior councils – we help set up initiative groups and draft a statute for the municipal senior council adapted to local circumstances. Together with residents we carry out a diagnosis of seniors’ needs (surveys, focus group interviews) and, based on it – in dialogue with seniors and local government institutions – develop a senior policy: a document setting out the main directions of action for seniors. We also support senior councils in implementing the senior policies they adopt.
Designing public spaces
We engage seniors in dialogue about the public spaces they use – streets, squares, small green areas, parks, etc. Together with them we go on exploratory walks: we observe streets, pavements and pedestrian crossings and consider what should be improved to make these spaces safer, more comfortable and more attractive. We also create development designs for selected places. It is important that seniors take part in designing public spaces, because it is for them that any barriers in space are most troublesome. A space that is comfortable and safe for seniors will be so for all other users too.
Active Senior Academy
We launched a series of training courses for senior leaders to help them work more effectively in their local communities: to better understand their own strengths and weaknesses, understand group roles, communicate efficiently with others and engage them in cooperation, plan and manage projects, and conduct a partnership dialogue with local government. The Active Senior Academy is also a one-of-a-kind space for exchanging experience and mutual support between senior leaders from different communities.
The active senior's guide
We have published a guide which we hope will help and inspire seniors to act for their local communities – also during and after the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the fruit of the Mapa Pasji Foundation’s experience of working with more than twenty different senior communities from southern Poland. These activities were carried out in 2018–2020 as part of a series of projects called “Space for Seniors”, co-financed by the ASOS 2014–2020 programme. Enriched by this valuable and interesting experience, we decided to share it with active seniors who are not afraid of challenges and are looking for ideas to develop themselves and their communities.
Information for caregivers
We have published a leaflet which we hope will be useful for people caring for elderly or disabled people, especially bedridden people or people with limited mobility. It contains basic guidance that should apply in most cases. However, the instructions of the doctor and community nurse should always come first. The leaflet is available for printing in PDF format (in Polish). A paper version can also be obtained free of charge on individual request.
