Sonia Galinha´s reflextion... Part II

Then, in the afternoon, at 15:30 h (Sala multimedia Facultad) Valencia Defensor del Mayor presented an interesting lecture and at 17:00 h-18:30 h: Sónia Galinha from Santarém presented “Active ageing” structured in three main points:

1. Emerging Topic Empowerment Senior and current researches in Portugal:

On empowerment, effective participation of citizens is possible. In recent years, the concept of social and healthy participation has taken on significant importance, not only in society but also in social psychology. So, capacity and ability - empowerment, is an instrument for socio-cognitive and social interaction – communication determines. In a way, is the result of long and complex process of learning that involve not only knowledge but also the abilities, the development of attitudes and social skills, cognitive and cultural rights to which individuals and groups can communicate and act together in solving everyday problems, into the society, institutions or families.

The inevitability of change processes, social change and technological development multimodal humanity has to face problems with the increasingly diverse and complex as necessary to respond to our collective intelligence is based on the development of new and deeper the forms of human thought, solidarity, commitment and dignity. Also, “the basic concept of empowerment is education and knowledge to every individual. We believe that the awareness and education can support an individual to become a better citizen and human being. The knowledge would enhance their capability to thrive a sustainable life”. “Empowerment is then the process of obtaining these basic opportunities for marginalized people, either directly by those people, or through the help of non-marginalized others who share their own access to these opportunities. It also includes actively thwarting attempts to deny those opportunities. Empowerment also includes encouraging, and developing the skills for, self-sufficiency, with a focus on eliminating the future need for charity or welfare in the individuals of the group. This process can be difficult to start and to implement effectively, but there are many examples of empowerment projects which have succeeded” in Sughosh India Foundation “Sughosh's meaning of empowerment”. (8 Nov 2010. (Online) Available: http://sughosh.in/Empowerment.html (accessed October 4, 2011).

For instance, RUTIS (Universities of the Third Age Network Association) is a Social Non Profit National Association which promotes the active aging and supports the Senior Universities and the Portuguese Third Age Academies (UTI). Currently there are 175 UTI in Portugal belong to RUTIS, what represents 30.000 senior students and 2.500 voluntaries teachers. A Third Age University (UTI or U3A) is a social and cultural answer, well developed in terms of equipments whose aims are to create, to develop and to organize cultural activities regularly, providing non-formal education, leisure activities and social gatherings and events for people over 50 years. The RUTIS objectives are to develop activities for the UTI, its students, teachers and managers; to raise funds and find sponsors to support the UTI; to promote volunteering among seniors and for the seniors and to increase the active aging and to develop didactic resources for senior education.

2. Active Ageing, intergeneration, communication and interdisciplinary contributions:

Empowerment senior is important because seniors are the guardians of our collective memory, and thus the privileged interpreters of that set of ideas and values that govern and guide the social life. We can not forget that children, women and the elderly are one of the most vulnerable sectors of society. Similarly, the promotion of volunteerism among young people is an opportunity for generations to committed and experienced and with more time available. In a way, is the result of long and complex process of learning that involve not only knowledge but also the development of attitudes and social skills, cognitive and cultural rights to which individuals and groups can communicate and act together and solidarity in solving everyday problems.

3.Methodological Areas and intervention proposals:

In the context of social participation and its relation to consciousness of Paulo Freire, while education, learning in action, promoting a cycle of potential, to facilitate the contact and information on institutions and associations - work with elders as well as collectives. In this topic IP students built really creative an oral and poster presentation about their region or country experiences: