Understanding the problem

Environmental degradation is an immense global issue associated with multifaceted direct and indirect health hazards for all population groups. At the same time, while researchers devote much effort to awareness-raising campaigns, education of youth with regards to the preservation of a habitable planet remains a daunting challenge. A large research body suggests that older adults have great success in youth mentorship programmes serving as much-respected role models for children and young adults. In fact, older adults are one of the fastest growing population groups, have significant free time and are actually seeking for socially-engaging activities.

In the same context, historical data on everyday life practices followed by previous generations show that older adults hold significant knowledge and know-how on sustainable and low-carbon-footprint practices that have been forgotten in modern life (e.g., soap making, repurposing food, clothes and toys) while, at the same time, younger generations are more and more interested in adopting eco-friendly lifestyles.

What is the ECOAGE?

Our main project’s objectives are to a) empower older adults to be socially active by sharing historically environmentally-friendly practices with children and young adults, thus decreasing their social isolation and loneliness which have been linked with multifaceted adverse health effects (WHO, 2021 ), b) enhance their hard and soft skills in mentorship, hence increasing their confidence, participation in the society and sense of usefulness, c) revive and promote the adoption of old and environmentally-friendly practices across the younger generations and d) empower and promote senior entrepreneurship.

Project Objectives

• Empower older adults to be socially active by sharing historically environmentally-friendly practices with children and young adults, thus decreasing their social isolation and loneliness which have been linked with multifaceted adverse health effects (WHO, 2021),
• Enhance their hard and soft skills in mentorship, hence increasing their confidence, participation in the society and sense of usefulness,
• Revive and promote the adoption of old and environmentally-friendly practices across the younger generations,
• Empower and promote senior entrepreneurship.

The ECOAGE project benefits from a grant under the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus programme, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.