V4: 2nd Professional meeting in Pelplin

Professional report (EN)

The ageing society is not only a challenge for Poland, but also for other European countries. Social changes and digitalisation revolution are a huge challenge for people 50+, at the same time this generation has a completely different approach and expectations towards "silver" life. This poses completely new challenges for social institutions, contributes to the emergence of a new 'silver' economy and various activities for active and healthy living by future seniors.

The municipality of Pelplin, due to its structure, has already started preparing for the senior revolution today, thanks to the implementation of the 'Quality for Silver Life' project, in the framework of which foreign delegations from Hungary and the Czech Republic came to Pelplin for study visits.

The project is carried out in partnership by the Hungarian municipality of Alsómocsolád, the Municipality of Pelplin and the Czech association of trainers and consultants from Opava. The project activities are financed by the Visegrad Fund. The aim of direct cooperation is to exchange experience and good practice, with the aim of introducing new solutions in the field of elderly care and developing the economy of the silver age. The programme also aims to establish partnerships that could result in future cooperation between residents - including an exchange of senior citizens.

Project activities include three meetings (in Opava, Pelplin and Alsómocsolád) of people responsible for social policy and senior citizens' activities from the cooperating institutions. The municipality of Pelplin hosted the project participants from 20-23.06.2022. On the day of arrival on 20.06.2022, foreign delegations met with the starost of Tczew - Mirosław Augustyn and the mayor of the town and municipality of Pelplin - Mirosław Chyła, during the meeting the parties exchanged information on the 'Quality for Silver Life' project.

As part of the project, the delegations were officially welcomed at the Pelplin Town and Municipality Office on 21.06.2022.

The ceremony was attended by: Tczew vice-prefect - Andrzej Flisik, representatives of the Tczew poviat board, the mayor of the city and commune of Pelplin - Mirosław Chyła, the secretary of the city and commune of Pelplin - Bogdan Badziong, councillors of the city council in Pelplin, the head of the social department of the city and commune office in Pelplin - Łukasz Butkus, director of the municipal social assistance centre in Pelplin - Maciej Laskowski, director of the high school  in Pelplin - Rafał Deska, director of the municipal cultural centre in Pelplin - Piotr Łaga and director of the municipal public library in Pelplin - Dorota Sakowska.

On the same day, the delegation visited the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk and other historic sites in the Gdansk Old Town. On the following day, there was a study visit to the social care home in Pelplin, where the delegation was received by the director of the DPS Emilia Rzeniecka. There, the foreign guests had the opportunity to participate in the 15th Review of Artistic Creativity of Disabled People under the motto "Together More Happy".

An important part of the day was a meeting at the secondary school complex in Pelplin organised by director Rafał Deska, devoted to the role of school in informal and non-formal education of adults.

 

The guests from abroad also visited the Senior Citizens' Club in Kulice. During this meeting, the delegation also met with Krystyna Gierszewska - Chairperson of the Senior Citizens' Council of Pelplin Municipality and KGW Lignowy Szlacheckie. At the meeting, the culinary dishes for which the region is famous were presented and a brief account of the tradition of making them was given.

The guests were acquainted with the functioning of the senior citizens' club and its offerings and equipment. The culmination of the visit was a performance by children from the Kulice education and training complex led by Beata Górska. Participants in the project activities also visited the Diocesan Museum in Pelplin and listened to an organ concert in the cathedral. The delegations concluded their visit on 23 June.