European Commission logo
Log in Create an account
Each keyword is searched for in the content.

EPALE - Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe

Blog

From the stories of the past to the bond of the future in an Erasmus+ project Solving the intergenerational puzzle INTER-PUZZLE

Local studies and cultural heritage and intergenerational learning

TreeImage.
Nataša Uskoković
Community Contributor (Bronze Member).

We organised a meeting of adult educators and librarians in Slovenia in December 2024. It was a great opportunity for creating connections between two groups that seemingly work in the same field, namely with adults and education, but quite often their paths do not intersect.

What brought us together was the topic of intergenerational cooperation and local studies with cultural heritage. Public libraries in Slovenia have an important role in collecting, storing and processing materials related to the history, culture, traditions of their local area.

100 stories of older adults from four European countries

We have collected stories of people aged 55 or more from Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Italy and Portugal in our Erasmus+ project Solving the intergenerational puzzle INTER-PUZZLE. In each country we have recorded stories of 25 storytellers. That is 100 stories of people aged 55 and over.

Our storytellers are people with various occupations, interests, hobbies, educational backgrounds. In stories from Slovenia, for example, we recorded how people used to live in Slovenske Konjice and Zreče and the surrounding area, how people worked the land. We recorded stories about beekeeping, winemaking, education and work, traditions and celebrations, folk songs and singing, volunteering and fire-fighters, and more. We talked to people who knew their local area well, who had lived, worked and created there and who had contributed in different ways to their local community.

It was the same in the Czech Republic, Italy and Portugal. Storytellers from these 4 countries provided us with a glimpse into the rich and colourful lives, traditions, natural and cultural heritage of their local communities.

Four collections of stories in four EU languages and a collection of stories in English

We have prepared four collections of stories in four EU languages and an additional collection of stories in English. Each e-booklet contains 25 stories from one country as well as additional 6-8 stories from the other three countries. In that way, one can read stories of people from various places, compare and contrast their own experiences and impressions about life and widen their horizons. All e-booklets with stories are available on the project webiste. 

An intergenerational card game in 4 European languages and a worksheet

On the basis of these stories, an intergenerational card game was created, available in 4 EU languages as well as handouts for preparation of intergenerational workshops. All materials can be used in adult education, primary and secondary schools, various workshops, at home with your family or individually. The story to which the question is related is specified on each card so you can read the story and find out more about the topic.

Our aim is to promote intergenerational and life-long learning through activities in this project. Materials created in this Erasmus+ project are available and easy to use by educators for preparing various activities for people of all ages or you use the materials on your own to research and discover more about the heritage of your local community or our common European heritage. 

Librarians participating in our event pointed out that the application of intergenerational cooperation in the activities of the local studies with cultural heritage is very important for the transfer of knowledge and values to the younger generations. It is also vital for expanding the knowledge about local cultural heritage as well as for building communities. They use the intergenerational learning approach occasionally in their work. The importance of personal approach in creating connections in a local community was underlined.

Where can the results of the INTER-PUZZLE project be used?

They recognised that intergenerational learning and materials created in our Erasmus+ project Solving the intergenerational puzzle INTER-PUZZLE can be used in their line of work for preparing various workshop related to the local studies and cultural heritage, for cooperating with other institutions and organisations, for storytelling activities for children and adults.

Impressions of the meeting participants

Throughout the event, we discussed Erasmus+ programme and our experiences with it. We pointed out the importance of creating connections among various organisations and the exchange of good practices. In that sense, this kind of event was a nice opportunity for just that.

We walked to the Public Library Slovenske Konjice so that the participants could see and learn about the rich history of Slovenske Konjice. At the Public Library we were able to see their local studies department as well as a documentary about Slovenske Konjice.

This meeting provided us with an excellent opportunity for networking, discussing challenges in the field of local heritage, and exploring the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ program. Librarians from the following public libraries participated in our meeting: Public Library Slovenske Konjice, Public Library Ivan Potrč Ptuj, Maribor Public Library, and Public Library Josip Vošnjak Slovenska Bistrica.

Erasmus+ project Solving the intergenerational puzzle INTER-PUZZLE has provided us with the opportunity to weave new connections among generations and organisations on the basis of our rich local and European heritage.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Nataša Uskoković is a project coordinator of an Erasmus+ project Solving the intergenerational puzzle and an adult educator. She is employed at School center Slovenske Konjice-Zreče, SIC - adult education and counselling in Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia.

Likeme (1)

Login or Sign up to join the conversation.