Senior citizens as seniortrainers in Germany and Finland Pirjo Havukainen, PhD, Principal Lecturer [Pirjo.havukainen@laurea.fi] Joachim Burmeister,PhD, Professor [burmeister@hs-nb.de]
This presentation describes the research part of the seniortrainer programmes carried out in Germany and in Finland.
The purposes of the Finnish and German programmes were to offer alternative ways of action for citizens who have reached the third age.
The purpose of the SeniorTrainer project to educate SeniorTrainers team/project leaders, trainers, organizer and counsellors
Finnish population The proportion of people aged over 65 in Finnish population is estimated to rise from the present 16% to 26% by 2030 This means that the number of people aged over 65 from today s 800 000 to over 1.4 million. (birth rate now 1.8) Limiting value of renewal population (2.1)
Owerview background of the seniortrainer projects Demografic developments (Europe/worldwide) All generations have to design their participation in society and social involvement Risks of desintegration come up with increasing age and retirement from professional life empty nest situation, loss of social contacts, loss of sense and orientation
Idea from Germany The German seniotrainer education programme 5-yars project Organized 16 federal states (Bundesländer) Financed by German State
The German seniortrainer Programme The EFI - Programme = Experience for Initiatives : 1. Using the know-how of seniors and 2. Development of new forms of volunteer involvement and responsibility roles for senior citizens in local communities
The curriculum for the training of seniortrainers consists of 14 modules Module 3 (3 hrs) Changing society: Demografic changes Processes of: Globalization Individualization Complexity Changes of roles Module 6 (3 hrs) Forms/ Infrastructures and task profiles of local agencies for civil commitment volunteer agencies, seniors offices, self help clearinghouses Module 9 (6 hrs) Counsellor for initiatives (Learning to): Observe group processes Counsel groups Moderate conflicts Mediate Module 12 (6 hrs) Team co-ordinator (Learning to): Independently organise a team of (older) volunteers resp. seniortrainers Cooperate within a team Module 1 (2 hrs) Starting the course Getting to know each other Motivation Expectations Module 4 (3 hrs) Changes in growing older Structural changes of age(ing) Ideas and models of the old age Leisure time activities Civil commitment of seniors Module 7 (6 hrs) Contact, Communication and Moderation : Getting and forming contacts; (rules of) communication, leading discussion and moderation Module 10 (3 hrs) Project developer (Learning to): Design/ start up with voluntary action Moderate projects Module 13 (3 hrs) Public relations and Fund Raising Promote public relations Check/ Initiate fund raising Module 2 (6 hrs) *Four profiles of seniortrainers: *Counsellor for initatives *Project developer *Networker *Team coordinator Finding role sympathies Module 5 (3 hrs) Civil commitment: From honorary office to civil commitment (Local) structures Changes in terms Developments/ Trends Module 8 Experience phase a) Preparations for visits, hospitations, Interviews a. o. within the NPO sector b) Experience phase: about 2 weeks of duration Module 11 (3 hrs) Networker (Learning to): Explore social space/ local networks Activate and link people with networks Module 14 (3 hrs) Final Presentations What do I / what do we want to do as seniortrainers / as a seniorcompetence Team?
The Finnish SeniorTrainer education programme is followed and commented by German cooperation partner Professor Joachmin Burmeister from Fachhochschule Neubrandenburg. Steering group
SeniorTrainer Project The Finnish training is carried out in cooperation between Laurea University of Applied Sciences and City of Vantaa s (Social Affairs and Health) Volunteer activities support unit City of Espoo
Curriculum modules (2006) 1)Orientation into the Senior Trainer Programme and its content; 2) Life histories and future challenges dreams as a seniortrainer, 3) Example from the German seniortrainer programme Senior citizens as experts 4) Finnish volunteer work, examples of seniortrainers volunteer work 5) Team membership and leadership, preparing for a practical placement. 6) Practical placement; 7) Evaluating practical placement experiences, own future as a Senior trainer and 8) Final and assessment seminar own well-being as a seniortrainer
The aim of the research was to evaluate seniortrainers views on seniortrainer education programmes in Germany and in Finland.
Research problems 1) What kind of motivation did seniortrainer students have when they planned to participate in the seniortrainer education programme? 2) What kind of experiences did the seniortrainer students make during the training programme? 3) What were the important knowledges, skills and competences the seniortrainer students learned during the training?
Data and methods Germany Data collection questionnaires (responses 551, the rate of responses 78.6%) Follow-up study Data was analyzed statistically Finland Data collection Open questionnaires, interviews, diaries (10 seniortrainer students) Content analyses
Profile of the first group participants Germany Age: 55 up to 70 years Education: university education (51%), vocational education (41%), other: 9% Finland Age: 56-68 years Education: vocational or university education Professional background: nurses, secretary, teachers, product managers
German and Finnish seniortrainer students motivation to participate in the two programmes Increasing know-how Forwarding knowledge and know-how Life changes Finding meaningful activities Personal activities (hobbies) Social motives Parents example Desire to work for the common good in society
Experiences with the education programme Germany Finland Content (most important) Communication and negotiation New role as seniortrainer Working with groups Knowledge about the NGO sector Conflict moderation Content (most important) Adult learning Communication Voluntary work
Experiences with the education programme Germany Finland Learning methods (ranked:) Group discussions (dealing experiences) Lectures Role plays Practical training Individual presentations Mind-mapping, moderation cards Learning methods (ranked:) Lectures Group work Group discussions (dealing experiences) Practical training
Experiences with the education programme Germany (teachers) Lecturers will be appreciated Finland (teachers) Teachers as a promoter of learning Encouraging way of teaching
Learning Experiences of seniortrainer students Competences Germany Competences development Through education rose from 56 % to 79 % 21 % could not see any changes in their know-how Clearance of the functions of senior Trainer 50 % Changes in discussion/negotiation with the other seniortrainer students 59 %, lectures 49 %, recognition of seniortrainers role Finland Learning of meta-cognitive skills Self-awareness Awareness of own learning styles Awareness of own orientation Learning of basics of voluntary work Repetition and strengthening of voluntary work Learning methods
Final results Students appreciated the seniortrainer education programmes and teachers. Students competences enlarged (content, know-how, metacognitive skills) Dealing information and social contacts in the central position in the programme Civic/ social responsibility for the ageing population SeniorTrainer education programme is seen as a new social investment for ageing generation
Situation today Germany A national curriculum Programmes carried out 1000 SeniorTrainers has been educated Co-operation partners Follow up programmes on province level Finland 4 programmes carried out About 45 SeniorTrainers has been educated Co-operation partners Living room for voluntary workers and seniortrainers
Further plans To form the curriculum for the Finnish seniortrainer programme To organize further education for seniortrainers, internats To confirm and make well-known the position of seniortrainers as an empowerment in society To confirm the seniortrainers role in voluntary sector Spreading the idea of seniortrainer education programme Marketing of seniortrainer education To involve new more senior citizens as volunteers (both for societal needs and the NGO sector)
seniortrainer education programs are meeting points for voluntary work and life experiences
The programme give possibilities for transformative learning and teaching and alternative ideas for acting in society.
Thank you