Due to changes in contemporary societies, interest in researching the life of senior citizens has increased. Today, senior citizens benefit from a wide educational offer, which include universities of the third age, senior citizens’ clubs, national and local programmes and activities at cultural and educational institutions. The aim of this article is to characterise the activities of senior citizens by discussing examples of selected educational offers developed to empower senior autonomy and self-responsibility as well as their social and intercultural engagement. The literature on the subject and the author’s own experience in working with seniors allow a conclusion that participation in the above-mentioned activities contributes to the building of social ties, enrichment of existing knowledge and acquisition of new skills. Participation reduces the risk of social exclusion and demonstrates the potential that seniors can use employ in education, culture or the labour market. Future educational initiatives for senior citizens should include and further develop activities related to support for new technologies, safety and intergenerational integration.
PL
W związku ze zmianami zachodzącymi w nowoczesnych społeczeństwach wzrosło zainteresowanie życiem osób starszych. Obecnie seniorzy korzystają z bogatej oferty edukacyjnej, do której zalicza się m.in. uniwersytety trzeciego wieku, kluby seniora, programy ogólnokrajowe i lokalne oraz działania instytucji kulturalno-oświatowych. Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie aktywności osób starszych na przykładzie wybranych ofert edukacyjnych oraz zwrócenie uwagi na ich niezależność i odpowiedzialność, a także zaangażowanie społeczne i międzykulturowe. Literatura przedmiotu i doświadczenia w pracy z seniorami pozwalają stwierdzić, że udział w wymienionych zadaniach przyczynia się do budowania więzi społecznych, wzbogacenia posiadanej wiedzy i nabycia nowych umiejętności. Zaangażowanie wpływa na zmniejszenie zagrożenia wykluczeniem społecznym, ukazuje potencjał osób starszych, który mogą wykorzystać w oświacie, kulturze czy na rynku pracy. Prowadzone inicjatywy edukacyjne dla seniorów w przyszłości powinny uwzględniać i nadal rozwijać działania związane z obsługą w zakresie nowych technologii, bezpieczeństwem i integracją międzypokoleniową.
In the first years after World War II, the effects of the war were eliminated, industry was nationalized, agriculture was collectivized, and annexed areas were merged with the rest of the country. In Lower Silesia, the Polish authorities wanted to implement a development plan. To this end, it was necessary to launch and develop industrial and agricultural production and to prepare means of transport and communication. The task was difficult because the new terrain required solving the problems of social issues, ordering and activating industry and taking initiatives in the area of educational and cultural life. The establishment of enterprises and industrial plants in Lower Silesia was associated with the preparation of an educational and cultural offer for employees, which took the following forms: libraries, common rooms, reading rooms and dance, theater, music, ballet and company orchestras. An important role in the above activities was played by the media: newsreel and Lower Silesian press. They published information about the initiatives of the management of workplaces in the direction of promoting the activity of spending free time by workers and the creation of new places for the development of interests and opportunities for innovative activities. The economic development of the Recovered Territories after the war took place in complex political and social conditions. The problem was the post-war chaos and the limited possibilities of the state, which did not have adequate financial and material resources that had to be allocated for reconstruction. The aim of this article is to present educational initiatives in factories and plants in Lower Silesia after World War II. Drawing attention to the implementation of ideological and political assumptions through the prism of cultural activities with the use of local press.
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