Co-AGE

In the small settlements of the Austro-Hungarian border region, the problem of aging populations and rural-to-urban migrants is emerging. The active work of younger generations usually does not allow being at home, the traditional large family model that used to care for the elderly is in decline. Meanwhile, due to rising life expectancy, the challenges of day-to-day care for older people are becoming increasingly common.

In order to ensure that the quality of life of the region's elderly is not drastically reduced, comprehensive new initiatives are needed to rethink the welfare system.

Our project aims to provide a demand-driven, reciprocal, sustainable and integrative solution to these challenges, it provides an improved quality of life for seniors and their relatives in the border region. This solution is building and networking cross-border caring communities based on volunteering.

To achieve this goal, we will develop a strategy and methodology to build caring communities, taking into account local needs and capabilities and involving relevant actors. Subsequently, we will strengthen the capacity of local / regional institutions active in the social and health field and the various local representations / NGOs through the training of so called "Trust Persons for Caring Communities", and create an organizational framework for cross-border volunteering.

We mobilize the population in the border region, especially the elderly, through social media solutions as well as specific activities and communication channels. By establishing cross-border cooperation between the addressed actors and the volunteer network, we ultimately create a self-sustaining, active and innovative network of caring communities.