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In October, we started another new project – “Senior Head in Shape” No. 2023-1-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000127942, the main goal of which is to improve the quality of life of seniors. Thanks to the project, each participant will acquire new skills in the field of psychology that they will be able to use in everyday life, e.g. control and influence on their emotions and behavior as well as improvement of concentration, focus and self-confidence.

So far, project participants have had the opportunity to:

• get acquainted with the schedule and meeting plan, class topics, the idea of Development Tasks and get to know the “Development Journal” tool prepared especially for the project
• integrate with the group, reduce stress and increase the willingness to act together effectively
• work on your values

Seniors showed creativity and commitment from the first exercise. They approached the project program with enthusiasm and curiosity, which makes us very happy!

From December 3 to December 9, 2023 seniors who were participants of the “Senior Open to the World” project No. 2022-1-PL01-KA122-ADU-000071920 had the opportunity to participate in group mobility to Sweden.

Once again, the main topic of mobility was physical activity, which seniors took every day in a healthy dose, including: Christmas walks around beautiful Malmö, yoga and meditation, or playing Curling, which is popular among Swedish seniors. During the trip, the participants had the opportunity to learn more about the lives of their peers living in Sweden, visit beautiful Copenhagen, and explore the idea of Swedish Fiki, i.e. time for coffee/tea, cake, conversation and enjoying the free time spent together. Mobility for everyone was an extraordinary adventure and a chance to learn many new things.

It was a great time that none of the participants will ever forget!

You can see a report from each mobility day on the project website.

During autumn classes, groups of preschoolers took part in numerous lectures and workshops on caring for the environment.
The children took part in, among others: In:
🌱 collecting unnecessary household items, which were then used by little artists for art work
🪴 planting trees
🧹 cleaning up the world
🎃 “Pumpkin Festival” celebration
🤓 lectures on animal protection and their impact on our environment
🐕 collection of articles for the Shelter for Homeless Animals of the Municipal Services Institution in Sosnowiec

All activities carried out as part of the project „Little with age, but big with eco-heart!” No. 2022-3-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000097905 are intended to develop the skills necessary to protect the environment and lead a conscious and rationalized lifestyle.

Moving is healthy!

We encourage you to exercise not only during our sports classes, but also individually at the gym, outdoors or in the comfort of your home.

That’s why, as part of the “Young in Spirit” project no. 2022-2-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000091172, an instructional video was created showing exercises for seniors that they can easily do on their own!

On December 15, 2023, a group of 12 seniors from Sosnowiec took part in Christmas artistic workshops while waiting for Christmas. The classes involved hand-painting glass vases with a stained glass effect. Beautiful winter landscapes were immortalized on the glass: snow-covered mountain slopes, houses and cottages. All vases were hand-painted with transparent paints. Handmade items were a great opportunity to immerse yourself even deeper in the holiday atmosphere, learning new skills and creating something with your own hands.

These were moments spent on pleasure, but also a lesson in creative thinking and creativity.

The workshops were organized as part of the project “Senior open to the world” project number: 2022-1-PL01-KA122-ADU-000071920.

In October, our brave seniors started computer classes carried out as part of the “Digital Senior” project no. 2023-2-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000168697.

When more and more autumn colors appeared outside the windows through the leaves changing color, our seniors systematically attended classes to improve their knowledge in the field of computer science.

They are not afraid of the weather when the stakes are so high – knowledge. Seniors take part in the project, divided into 3 groups with different levels of learning, adapted to their knowledge and skills.

In the first two months of learning, the basic group became familiar with basic computer operations. They practiced using a mouse and keyboard, created text documents, saved files and created folders. However, two intermediate groups learned about photo editing, which was very popular among the participants. They also learned about issues related to artificial intelligence and had the opportunity to test it in practice, using, for example, GPT chat to create a trip to Barcelona.

The classes are very well attended, and the seniors’ smiles throughout the entire session assure us that the project is being carried out successfully.

On October 25, the first culinary classes were held as part of the “Healthy Plate” project 2023-1-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000136592.

In the project, the Smart Foundation cooperated with the “Malinka” Day Care Center and the “Nad Odrą” Day Care Center. Project participants include: residents of the previously mentioned units and seniors from outside who volunteered to participate in the project.

Due to the diversity of the group, at the beginning everyone introduced themselves and were shy, but when it came time to divide the tasks and work together on the delicacies, they quickly warmed up and blurred the distance between them.

Seniors prepared three types of dough without using flour and sugar – one without baking and two for the oven. They used a specific type of bean for each cake: red, black or white. The cakes prepared by our seniors are: 2 x Brownie and 1 x cheesecake.

After practical classes, i.e. cooking, there is time for tasting, where at the same time seniors have the opportunity to get to know each other better and integrate with the group. By implementing this project, we can actively contribute to eliminating the feeling of isolation among seniors, which is something we really care about.

The cakes turned out beautifully and were delicious! Everyone was delighted with the taste and how delicious baked goods can be created without sugar, but with bananas, dates and peanut butter. Everyone was in a good mood while cooking. The seniors loved the classes and can’t wait for the next ones.

Once again, we see how much joy a culinary project brings to seniors, where working together in the kitchen integrates, improves mood, allows you to make new friends and gives you a lot of tasty dishes that quickly disappear from the plates. 😉

From October 1 to October 6, 2023. seniors participating in the “Senior open to the World” project No. 2022-1-PL01-KA122-ADU-000071920 had the opportunity to participate in group mobility to Valencia. During their stay in Spain, the participants learned more about Spanish traditions, culture and cuisine. Every day they discovered interesting places and admired the city’s unique architecture. They visited training centers for adults and took part in outdoor workshops, allowing them to get to know themselves better. In addition, they visited the Oceanographic Museum in the City of Arts and Sciences, the largest aquarium in Europe, found the Holy Grail in the Gothic cathedral of La Seu de Valencia and admired a real flamenco show!

The trip was an unforgettable adventure for all participants, which they will probably tell all their loved ones.

You can read a detailed account of each mobility day on the project website.

Go to the project website

As the old Polish proverb says: “All good things come to an end” – and so it was this time.

On Thursday, October 19, 2023 the last sports activities organized as part of the project: “Young in spirit” project number: 2022-2-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000091172 took place.

It was an extremely interesting time for all seniors, rich in new sports skills and valuable experience. Classes conducted under the supervision of physiotherapy specialists not only contributed to improving the general health and well-being of the participants, but also had a relaxing and soothing effect.

The summary of the project were baked goods organized for everyone in the City Park. Jacek Kuroń in Sosnowiec. It was tasty, recreational and fun. The pleasant atmosphere during the meeting filled everyone with positive energy.

Our design journey was a unique experience that brought us a lot of knowledge and unforgettable moments. If you are curious about what exactly happened during each day of our project, please read our daily reports:

• • 1 DAY –> Introduction to the project:We started our adventure in the picturesque Opole, where we got to know each other and set the goals of the project.
  • 2DAY –> We looked at design theory and delved into color psychology and composition.
  • 3 DAY –> We started hands-on work on our projects, discovering how theory translates into practice.
  • 4 DAY –> We continued working on projects and sharing our achievements during inspiring presentations.
  • 5 DAY –> We summarized our achievements, considered how to use the acquired knowledge in the future and appreciated our certificates.

It was not only training, but also an amazing opportunity to learn from each other and establish lasting bonds. Our design journey has ended, but our collaboration and inspiration continues. We can’t wait to see what the next project brings us!