The project aims to address the challenges of loneliness, isolation, as well as the problems related to sedentary life and lack of movement of older people (65+) in Europe through the promotion of active and healthy ageing. It intends to encourage participation in sport and physical activity, especially by supporting the implementation of the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity and being in line with the EU Physical Activity Guidelines and the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle, and the Council conclusions — Healthy Ageing across the Lifecycle (2012/C 396/02).
The project also targets the promotion of social inclusion in sport of a usually excluded group, that of persons over 65, through the promotion of intergenerational cooperation and with particular attention to the emotional development and improvement of the health of the beneficiaries through intergenerational sports activities with their young family members (25-).
The project is specifically set out to:
- Enhance participation and cooperation in intergenerational sports activities of elders of 65+ and youth of 25- in Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Slovenia.
- Enhance the awareness and capacities of sports professionals in organizing/implementing intergenerational sports activities that motivate the participation of elders 65+in Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Slovenia.
- Increase awareness on the importance of physical activity, healthy living and active ageing among older (and younger) citizens in Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Slovenia.
- Increase the access of persons 65+ in sports activities, and relevant information in Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Slovenia.
- Strengthen the physical skills, social skills, self-esteem and psychological skills, cognitive skills and general wellbeing of elders (65+) and of youth (25- ) in Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Slovenia, through cooperation in joint sports activities.
- Promote the concept and benefits of intergenerational sports (and tools for its implementation) to relevant stakeholders, actors and policy makers in the fields of sports, healthy living and active ageing.
The project starts in January 2021 and ends in December 2022. It is funded by the ERASMUS+ Sports 2019 programme and it is implemented by: ANCE, Active Bulgarian Society, CSC Danilo Dolci, Budapest Association for International Sports and Slovenian Third Age University.