Education knows no age limit. This could be the guiding principle of the initiative aimed at providing training, with a particular emphasis on Internet tools, to 500 older individuals across the 17 municipalities of the island, each with less than 20,000 residents. The workshops commenced last Monday in El Sauzal and will persist until December across six locations, employing a successful educational model pioneered by ECCA radio (now Ecca.edu on social media), which is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025. The Cabildo de Tenerife has initiated this programme, which aims for sustainability, allocating €60,000 for this year.
Framework
The Island Councillor for Social Action, Águeda Fumero, and Vanessa Santana, the Regional Coordinator for the Canary Delegations of ECCA.edu, introduced this initiative yesterday, which is part of the Islénior Learns programme, a training strategy for seniors over the age of 65. Fumero noted that “the goal is to provide training and learning tools that align with the objectives and pillars of the Islénior programme: personal autonomy, well-being, and integration into the social milieu.” The councillor underscored the “significance of collaborative efforts between entities to create a network of partnerships that enable more effective social management across all sectors.”
Action
Vanessa Santana elaborated on the training initiatives, whose overall aim is “to enhance social welfare and encourage active participation among the elderly in Tenerife.” To achieve this, the programme promotes the acquisition of digital skills, personal development, equal opportunities, healthy lifestyles, and social competencies. The initiative also aims to establish spaces for both training and leisure, facilitating participation and contributing to cognitive stimulation through education that enhances self-confidence, technological know-how, domestic economy improvement, civic engagement, and digital capabilities.
Regions
The municipalities scheduled to benefit from training activities this year include Tegueste, El Sauzal, La Victoria, La Matanza, Santa Úrsula, San Juan de la Rambla, La Guancha, El Tanque, Los Silos, Buenavista del Norte, Garachico, Santiago del Teide, Vilaflor, Arico, Fasnia, Arafo, and El Rosario. These are grouped into six primary geographical regions: Icod-Daute, Acentejo, the Metropolitan area (excluding Santa Cruz and La Laguna), Güímar Valley, Abona, and the Southwest.
Stake
The Minister of Social Action recalled the participatory process that shaped the design of Islénior, “the most significant undertaken in Tenerife, involving 130 meetings and the participation of 1,700 individuals.” She affirmed that “Islénior represents a paradigm shift in the relationship between the administration and older people, aiming to provide them with an active lifestyle and more comprehensive and specialised support.”
Objectives
The initiative is aimed at 17 of the 31 municipalities targeted initially. The primary goal is to engage 500 individuals as this is the inaugural edition, but Vanessa Santana believes “in a few months” they will meet that target, describing it as “not a utopia.” She considers it “crucial” that Ecca has “deep roots” in the community, highlighting the importance of “word of mouth.” As a result, they are optimistic about reaching a larger audience than initially planned. Santana emphasises that “the aim is to ensure no one is left behind, and that anyone wishing to train with us can do so, whether within or outside this programme.”
Learning
The focus is on continuous improvement, valuing a methodology that has proven successful for six decades. This will involve ongoing evaluation in partnership with the participating municipalities. A variety of workshops will be offered, and there will be assessments to determine which ones gain the most traction or if new workshops need to be introduced. Furthermore, Fumero hinted at the possibility of modifications, always considering a participatory approach beforehand. Under the umbrella of Islénior Learns, additional initiatives include the Senior Chair in collaboration with the University of La Laguna, aimed at municipalities with populations exceeding 50,000. Currently, the training is backed by the ECCA.edu accreditation for a potential audience of 138,475 individuals aged over 65, representing 14.5% of the island’s 955,000 residents. It is noteworthy that 40%, or 382,000, are over the age of 50. Participants can register at the organisation’s centres on the island or at the volunteer office.
