European Network on Elderly Policy and Social Work
with Elderly in a World of Demographic Changes

Project:

Elderly and Social work in the Perspective of Demographical Change and Intergenerational Exchange

Abbreviation: DEMOGENE

Site : www.demogene.org/

Contract

Agreement number: 2007 – IP – 01

Application reference: DK 29076 – IC – 1 – 2007 – DK – ERASMUS – EUC – 1

Activity

The Network organizes Intensive Programmes within a European and demographic perspective for a period of minimum 10 working days.

Status

The Network submitted an application for funding of an “Erasmus Intensive Programme” under the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) from The European Commission, Education and Culture DG on March 30th, 2007 to the National Agency Cirius in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The application was approved in July 2007 and on September 20th, 2007 the contract for the grant agreement was signed by the beneficiary and the National Agency Cirius.

Name

Demographic Changes in Europe.

Network on Elderly Policy and Social Work with Elderly in a World of Demographic Change

Academic focuses and perspectives: Demography, Relations between generations, Ageing, Elderly, Europe, Social Work.

Partners

This European Network counts the following partners:

• Turku University, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Turku, Finland

Lecturer Heikki Suhonen, Licentiate in Political Science

www.soc.utu.fi/sospo

• University of Applied Sciences, Evangelische Fachhochschule, Bochum, Gerrmany

Lecturer, Pr. Helene Ignatzi.

www.efh-bochum.de/

• Ljubljana University, Faculty of Social Work, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Lecturer, Dr. Jana Mali

http://www.fsd.uni-lj.si/

http://www.uni-lj.si/

• Institut Régional du Travail Social de Lorraine (IRTS), Nancy, France

Head of International Office Gérard Schaefer, Ph.D.

Lecturer, Dr. Gérard Schaefer

www.irts-lorraine.fr

• West Jutland University College, School of Social Work, Esbjerg, Denmark

Lecturer, Pr. Charlotte Laustsen

Project Coordinator

http://www.cvu-vest.dk/

Introduction to the programme

At The Social Work Bachelor Programme in Esbjerg there has been a long tradition since the 90’ies to develop and focus on elderly policy and social work in an international perspective and to develop this academic area within the frame of a European network.

During the recent years, steps have been taken to form the present network and efforts have been made to change the academic focus to integrate a demographic and a stronger European perspective. This change in focus was strongly inspired by: “Communication from the Commission. Green paper “Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations”” from the Commission of the European Communities. Brussels. 16.3.2005 COM(2005) 94 final. In autumn 2005 the decision was made to promote, strengthen and facilitate the activities of the Network by applying for funding from the European Commission for some of the Network activities.

In this light, the Network prepared and handed in an Erasmus application for an intensive programme under the Lifelong Learning Programme for the period 2007/2008 in March 2007. The application covers a project period of three years i.e. 2007/2008 to 2009/2010.

The Network partners have appointed West Jutland University Center / CVU Vest, The Social Work Bachelor Programme, Esbjerg as the project coordinator and has asked lecturer and international coordinator Inger Hjerrild to fill in the position.

The first intensive programme with funding from The European Commission will take place in spring 2008 at Turku University in Finland. The intensive programme invites 5 students and 1 – 2 teachers from each partner institution to participate as the national delegations. The programme will be scheduled for a minimum of 10 working days. 

The second intensive programme will take place in April 2009 at Home for Elderly, Preddvor (Slovenia): 24 students and 4 teachers from Finland, Denmark, Germany, Slovenia and France will participate to this seminary.

Activities and objectives

The main activity of the Network is to offer intensive programmes for students and lecturers as well as colleagues from the host institution once a year at the different partner institutions. The intensive programmes will also invite elderly citizens, politicians, researchers and professionals from social work practise since one objective is to engage in networking and to establish solid relationships between theory and practise. 

The overall objective for the intensive programme is to develop elderly policy, social services and social work for elderly through the social work programmes within a demographic and European perspective. In addition, the partners meet once a year at different partners’ locations to evaluate, develop and enhance policies, strategies and quality of the activities. In doing so, the Network establishes solid cooperation and relationships that create possibilities for student and staff mobility and is in this capacity able to promote the international dimension in social work education and social work at all partner institutions.

Envisaged output

a) A compendium will be compiled including lectures, academic papers and agency documentation after the IP in English to be distributed to all participants. It will be accessible for others, too.

b) Papers on students’ workshop presentations will be collected in students’ folders.

c) Students will present their academic and international experiences for other students and staff at their home university in a public presentation (a lecture) and will write an article for the University Journal. The article will be put on the website of each partner institution.

d) Students will work out a folder containing notes, presentations, written assignments and results and keep a log book as a basis for lecturing and coaching hours with teachers during the week. The students’ material will later be used actively during the evaluation procedures.

All material will be in English.

Intensive programme 2009

The IP in Slovenia has taken place in Home for the Older People Preddvor during April 19 th. to April 29 th. 2009. The objectives to study have been as written in the application:

1. Investigate and try to develop new perspective on social work, and here also regarding implications and difficulties of demographical development in EU
2. Challenge the students perspectives and perceptions both academically and personally
3. Use a pedagogical approach in the IP which will frame an international and multidisciplinary environment.

The target group is elderly citizens 60 + years of age.

Our aim is also to give the students the possibility to get academic and personal competencies and growth in a multicultural frame using example critical reflection and international perspectives on the topics.
Our programme has been constructed by mainly a mixture of lectures, group work, case work, field trips, workshops/presentations, and independent research groups, cross cultural activities, investigations with citizens and professionals and dissemination.  

Contact person

Please contact University College of West Jutland, The Social Work programme, Esbjerg, Denmark for further information.