The Zielona Góra University of Third Age (ZUTW) - Social activation and life quality improvement of the elderly is a creation of conditions for good ageing
The issue of aging of the society and of the old age has become significant for Poland at the end of the 60’s, when the threshold of demographic old age was crossed. The Polish society faced the challenges stemming from dynamic changes in the demographic structure of the population. Two key phenomena resulting from these changes were observed - on the one hand low fertility and on the other - an increasing number of the elderly. These phenomena aren't treated as issues but rather as challenges, since one may prepare for them and thus, actively respond to them. It's the context, under which in 1992 the Zielona Góra University of Third Age was launched. The objective of ZUTW is to undertake and develop social scientific, educational, cultural, ecological as well as physical culture and sport initiatives through conducting forms of educational, health, cultural, creative and sightseeing-touristy activity for the elderly. Social activation and improvement of the quality of life of the elderly constitute the creation of conditions for good ageing. ZUTW’s ordinary member (listener) may be any citizen of the Republic of Poland in retirement age, who wishes to uplift their contribution to the social work in the realization of the targets of ZUTW. Listeners of ZUTW, and there is at present over a thousand of them, are persons from different environments and social circles, diverse in terms of age, education and interests.
Resources needed
ZUTW operates thanks to:-Subscription fee and membership fees, -Donations, sponsoring, gifts, means coming from private generosity, public collections, auctions, -Donations and subsidies, means from various types of funds. Annual cost of maintenance of ZUTW is an amount of approx. 700 thousand PLN.
Evidence of success
- Cabaret MONTE VERDE (25-th anniversary in 2019);
- Choir MODERATO (20-th anniversary in 2019);
- Photography Club FOTOOKO (25-th anniversary in 2019);
- Philosophy Club COGITO (5-th anniversary in 2019);
- Conduct of sport clubs (bridge, chess);
- Established transnational cooperation with Euroregion Sprewa-Nysa-Bóbr;
- Cooperation with the Zielona Góra University in the scope of lectures, conferences, seminars and student practices;
- Running of art, dance, theatre and music groups.
Difficulties encountered
Encountered barriers: Obtaining external funds for realization of statutory tasks and for current activity.
Potential for learning or transfer
For many years cooperation with organizations acting for the benefit of the elderly in other countries has been ongoing. ZUTW availed of many European experiences, practical tips and solutions in the scope of broadly understood educational and social policy towards the elderly. For many years of cooperation several dozen of international meetings have been organized of various character in which hundreds of the elderly participated, getting to know one another, each other’s habits, traditions and partner language.
At present, within the area of the Lubuskie voivodeship, 27 Third Age Universities are in place which applied patterns of ZUTW in their activities and which successfully realize their tasks towards the elderly on a smaller scale (locally).
