Innovation: Poznan Senior Citizens Council and Centre for Senior Citizens Initiatives

Poland

AAI Domain: Participation in society (political participation)

There is always scope for municipalities across Europe and around the world to do more to encourage active and healthy ageing. As the population ages there will need to be a concerted effort involving individuals, communities, local and national governments as well as private companies and non-governmental organisations to work together to develop active ageing strategies.

The city of Poznan in western Poland has a population of over 550,000 people in the city municipality at the heart of an urban area of more than 1.1 million people. Faced with an ageing population, the municipality established the Senior Citizens City Council as a 15 member advisory and consultative body in October 2007 with the aims of putting the interests of older people at the forefront of the municipality‘s work. This includes working to ensure closer cooperation between the municipality and older people’s organisations across the city, identifying policy priorities and initiating actions to encourage active ageing among older people.

One of the actions of the Senior Citizens City Council during its first term was to establish the Centre for Senior Citizens Initiatives in December 2009. The Centre is a municipal unit that became operational in January 2010 with the aim of improving the quality of life of older people, using the knowledge and experience of this older generation and recognising the valuable contribution they make to society. Promoting active ageing through participation in a range of activity, the promotion of a ‘Safe City’ programme so that older people are not victims of crime or abuse and encouraging inter-generational dialogue and understanding.

The Centre works in partnership with a range of non-governmental organisations in developing and delivering a wide range of activities. These include the 50+ Information Point as a city-wide registry of activities, clubs and groups for older people so that older people are aware of the available cultural, leisure and recreational opportunities. The registry is available online and a weekly column appears in a city newspaper detailing activities for older people who are not internet users. There is also a Facebook page to appeal to younger people by highlighting the importance of thinking about active ageing over the life course and encouraging inter-generational dialogue.

Another of the Centre’s initiatives is the 50+ Volunteering programme that encourages older people to be volunteers in organisations across the city. The Active 50+ Fair is an annual event organised by the Centre with the Regional Centre for Social Policy that is a showcase event for older people who are interested in health issues, work and education, sports, travel, new technologies and media. It attracts thousands of visitors from Poznan and across Poland who see regional, national and international exhibitors. The Centre also encourages cafes, shops, public and cultural institutions to satisfy the needs of older people by offering age-friendly environments and discounts with the best ones awarded a ‘senior friendly certificate’ and free promotion on the Centre’s newsfeeds.

The Centre’s Senior in the Form initiative encourages older people to be physically active in order to promote health and social connectedness. Finally, the Centre acts as a partner in European projects on active ageing and lifelong learning. Poznan’s achievements in relation to active ageing and promoting the health and well-being of older people have been recognised nationally and at the European level.

In relation to the active ageing index, Poznan’s work stems from encouraging political participation in and beyond the Senior Citizens City Council. This prompted the creation of the Senior’s Centre and the impressive range of initiatives that encourage voluntary activity, physical exercise, physical safety from crime and abuse along with opportunities for lifelong learning with the overall aim of increasing the quality of life and life expectancy among older people.

Websites

Centrumis

Centrumis on Facebook