What happens when education designed for seniors starts inspiring young people too? That’s exactly where the Erasmus+ project Innovative Techniques of Seniors Activation (ITOSA) makes things interesting.
Implemented within the Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action: Cooperation Partnerships in Adult Education), ITOSA was primarily created to support seniors (60+) in becoming active changemakers in their local communities. But one of its most exciting outcomes is that many of the developed methods, tools, and learning modules are just as relevant for young people – especially in the fields of civic engagement, community development, and intergenerational learning.
Why ITOSA matters for young people
Although the project focused on older adults, its results go far beyond one age group. Several modules from the online courses can be easily adapted for:
- youth education and youth work,
- training young activists and volunteers,
- community-based projects where young people and seniors work together.
A special added value of ITOSA lies in its intergenerational learning approach. Some of the courses and methods are explicitly designed to bring different generations together – encouraging dialogue, mutual learning, and joint action. In a time when societies are increasingly fragmented by age, this approach offers powerful tools for building stronger, more inclusive communities.
What was done during the project?
Over three years, ITOSA partners carried out a wide range of international activities, including:
- 6 international workshops for educators working with seniors,
- international workshops involving seniors themselves,
- 18 pilot workshops across six countries, where new methods were tested in real-life settings,
- 6 multiplier events and 7 transnational project meetings,
- international webinars,
- development of online courses, practical tools, and a handbook.
Results you can actually use
The project produced concrete, open-access resources that are useful not only for adult educators, but also for youth workers and trainers:
- an interactive online course featuring 12 innovative methods for community engagement,
- a multilingual web platform (7 languages) packed with tools, resources, and examples of good practice,
- learning materials that support both senior activation and intergenerational cooperation.
Young educators, trainers, and activists can freely explore and adapt these resources for their own projects.
👉 Learn more here: https://itosa.eu/, https://activeseniors.eu/
A truly European collaboration
ITOSA ran from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2025 and brought together seven partner organizations from six European countries: Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Italy, Cyprus, and Slovenia. The project was coordinated by Fundacja Mapa Pasji from Kraków (https://mapapasji.pl/).
With a total grant of EUR 400,000, the project was funded by the European Union – and its results remain freely available for everyone who believes that learning works best when generations learn with and from each other.
If you’re a young person, youth worker, or educator looking for fresh ideas that connect activism, education, and community impact—ITOSA is definitely worth a click.