Project description

The project entitled ”Lady Cafe – motivating activities for women aged 45+” is a partnership of 10 heterogeneous institutions. These organisations will develop and execute a series of activities (min. 3 training sessions per institution) to meet the varied needs (dependant on place of residence and context) and expectations of women aged over 45; and guarantee their active participation in the public sphere. The activities will focus on very different fields: e-learning; literature; psychology (positive self-image and self-esteem building via theatre techniques); learning to promote their own interests in the public sphere; slow food; health; and traditional medicine. In the first phase, there will be workshops, courses and lectures conducted by qualified trainers. In the second phase, women over 45 (previous learners) will participate in lectures designed to help them recognize their own skills, so that they can become active trainers. The main aim is the comprehensive non-professional development of women over 45 (the project’s target age group): their improved self-esteem as a person and a woman; and, ultimately, their active participation within their social environment. Throughout the project, new teaching materials and sociological observations will be exchanged. Moreover, the project uses modern ICTs – an e-learning course devoted to gender issues will be prepared for the women learners. The new teaching materials and methodology description will be published in a good practices manual. This manual, as well as the products resulting from the e-learning course, will be exhibited. The two plays resulting from the drama workshops will be performed in 3 countries.
This project, focused on motivational activities and aimed at women aged 45+, is designed to make them aware of their abilities, so that they can transfer their ‘know-how’ from the domestic field to a wider scope within society. These women have played a pacifying role in their families and small communities; they have often developed excellent communication skills. Nowadays, there is a social need to develop ´emotional intelligence´ (social and civic competences) as a tool in preventing conflicts and 'violence against women' (present in all the participating partners´ countries). Domestic violence and chauvinistic attitudes have greatly increased in recent years, according to 'official data'. Unfortunately, these problems are worsening in European countries currently experiencing economic recession.
The combined factors of the aging demographics in most European countries, as well as women´s longer life expectancy, means that women aged 45+ are in peak condition and able to contribute positively to society.
The Lady Cafe project will help break misogynist stereotypes and include women aged 45+ in the public sphere. The training sessions are aimed at reducing the gap between social expectations about women 45+ and their real needs and aspirations. The project´s target group ranges from women from small towns, often isolated from social and cultural centres, to women living in larger towns with only basic formal education, but who´s life experience has resulted in a fund of knowledge that represents valuable, transferable skills for society. During the partnership´s second year, the project has 3 aims for the participants: to gain awareness of the value of their own experience within a wider societal context; to become trainers of other marginalized women who left school without basic education; and to become trainers of non-qualified young adults with misogynist stereotypes who are likely to be involved in domestic violence. The project responds to the need for exchanging experience between partnership organizations by expanding the educational offerings for women aged 45+. The Lady Cafe project will also help change the image of our institutions, by showing them to be agents of important social change; and as adult education providers supporting innovative ICT-based educational content (digital competence).