In May and June, a series of co-planning meetings were held between the students of the fourth classes of the Fabio Besta Institute and representatives of the senior citizens participating in the Local Action Group. Based on the participatory approach underlying the methodology supported by the project, the meetings aimed to produce manuals and video tutorials designed to facilitate access to certain online services, such as booking specialist medical examinations, downloading prescriptions and opening a ticket at the post office. The choice of these services, as well as the priority on which to focus the work, emerged from a long consultation process with the local community conducted in late 2020 and early 2021. The materials produced will first be tested by some citizens over 60 to assess their accessibility and effectiveness, and then made available to the entire population, both through digital channels and in printed form. This is only the beginning of a service which will also be activated in the autumn at the premises of some local senior citizens' centres. Here, young people from the school and elderly people will meet to face and solve together the challenges related to the digitalisation of services and exchange experiences and knowledge.
The Transnational Conference of the TAAFE Project took place from 16 to 18 June. During the first day, the leaders of the different work packages reported on the progress made during the first year and a half of the project: the leaders of WP1 on methodology and WP2 on implementation focused on the strategies implemented in order to face and overcome the obstacles related to the dissemination of Covid-19 in the conduct of activities. WP3 described the results of the survey conducted in the various pilot sites on the participation of citizens in the development of age-friendly initiatives at local level. Finally, the representatives of WP4 presented the results of the analysis of national and regional policies dedicated to the elderly population, with a focus on the adoption of an age-friendly approach in their design and implementation.
The second day was entirely dedicated to the discussion of the extension and sustainability of the TAAFE method in the Alpine space, focusing on the most topical issues and common challenges related to the ageing population, with the needs and desires it brings. Friday 18th was reserved for the work with the TRIOs, who, under the guidance of the WP1 leaders, shared good practices, doubts and difficulties related to the actions carried out so far. As well as sharing operational ideas, the exchange was fundamental in order to reflect more deeply on the issue of the implementation and adaptation of the methodology in local contexts.