Academy for the elderly

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The Academy for Elderly in Heidelberg is an independent educational institution under self-administration with importance throughout the region. There, older people (> 60 years of age) organize a wide range of educational opportunities for older people.

In addition to large lecture events, there are many seminars. Most of the fees are already included in the annual fee of 85 euros.

Emergence

The academy was founded in 1984 as a registered association by the founding chairman Werner Boll (born June 8, 1919 , † January 5, 2007 in Heidelberg). It quickly reached a number of members over 5,000. The general assembly of the association elects a board for a four-year term.

In the middle of 1993 the non-profit GmbH "Academy for the Elderly" was founded. The board of directors of the founding and sponsoring association forms the shareholders' meeting. This fulfilled a condition of the city for the further provision of spacious rooms with corresponding financial obligations. A management group of women and men who advise the management and participate in conceptual decisions of importance are the representatives of the approx. 260 voluntarily active older people (not regulated by association law). They choose their chairperson internally.

As a new, additional body, a supervisory board , consisting of competent personalities, was added, which has control and intervention rights. The mayor of Heidelberg chairs the supervisory board . In the meantime, the institution can look back on over 20 years of experience of integration, creation of new networks and an exciting combination of voluntary commitment and participation in politics. It is sometimes visited far from the region. The number of visitors is over 25,000 different people per year - the number of members over 3,800 (2006).

Proximity and difference to the VHS

The adult education institutions that exist in Germany have very different historical roots. These further education institutions differ according to addressees (age, occupational groups), according to functional areas (catching up on school leaving certificates, preparation for activities), according to content-related aspects, etc. The adult education center is the means of choice for targeted further education. With its broad range of educational opportunities in terms of goals, content and methods, it is open to almost all population groups and ages, but mainly focuses on people in vocational training or in professional life. Nowadays it is no longer enough to rest on the diploma of a vocational school, technical college or university. Lifelong training is the means to professional success and the key to it. The state-subsidized adult education centers are inexpensive and effectively tailored to the various needs. They can be reached almost everywhere and are open after work.

Amazingly for many young people, older people often feel the need for something new after they leave their job. You see this as an opportunity to reorient yourself again. Often it is also called making up for those who have missed out. Education is an age-independent need. The age-dependency of the ability to learn has only been fundamentally questioned since the 1980s ( see also : Ursula Lehr ). Until then, the public and medicine assumed that intelligence would decline in age. And senior students at universities are still partly admired and partly laughed at. With its offer, the academy wants to contribute to the fact that every older person - even with age-typical physical limitations - can not only put together their own further training program, but also experience belonging to the group of like-minded and peers. Hence the age limit and the location of most events before 5 p.m.

In contrast to the concept of the VHS, the basis for the concept of an academy is the voluntary work of older people. Around 200 volunteers have been contributing their skills and knowledge to the Academy for Elderly for years. The offer is tailored to older people who are looking for individual courses, sometimes an intellectually demanding degree, who often see it primarily as entertainment, variety and a challenge. As a rule, a certificate is not sought. The exception to this is senior studies at neighboring universities.

meaning

An age group-specific educational offer that is well received by target groups. A cost-effective form of involvement of voluntary work for municipalities.

Means of integrating or isolating the elderly

Elderly academies and adult education centers are a means of integrating old people into society. The adult education centers are now very often the interest of the elderly in education and training. It was different when the Academy was founded. The vhs program in many places includes language courses, dance, senior sports and various cultural offers that are independent of age. There are also special courses for older people, such as computer courses for older beginners, appreciation of age in different cultures, ways of living in old age, and preventing Alzheimer's disease. But amazingly, it is especially younger (40-60 years old) people, especially those who are currently caring for their elderly parents and relatives, who take these courses to fill the gap in information between age and youth. The academy may open up older people with its offers so that they can also take advantage of offers from the vhs where they would otherwise feel “under pressure to perform”.

Of course, when attending a course, informal groups and friendships arise with the same group of participants , which are linked to a hobby or interest in a subject. If only people over 60 are present, the likelihood of such social relationships increases if someone strives for this and does not seek contact with younger people. In addition, it must be pointed out that the seniors' academy and adult education center do not compete locally and no corresponding signs can be observed. Both complement each other when using the rooms of a former school.

Subject areas, areas of interest

  • foreign languages
  • History / society
  • Computer courses, homepage group
  • Art history
  • Art / design / fashion
  • Countries and regions
  • Literature and language
  • Making music
  • Natural sciences
  • Philosophy / theology
  • Law / economics / finance
  • Academy on the way

etc.

Consulting office, external service

This includes individual advice, especially on health and financial issues, card from 60 (network card for the region). Self-determined living and housing advice, studies from 60, theater service.

Foundation, endowment

The Academy for Elderly has set up a charitable foundation into which donations and bequests can flow. The annual proceeds from this capital are a. available for projects, events and purchases.

literature

  • Fritz Quoos: Connected to the social with heart and mind. In: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung . Jan. 16, 2006, p. 3.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Foundation of the Academy for Elderly ( Memento of the original dated February 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / akademie-fuer-aeltere.de