Anton Trstenjak Institute of Gerontology and Intergenerational Relations is Slovenian national scientific, research, expert and end–user institution within gerontology and good intergenerational relations field in Slovenia.

The Institute works in the three main areas:

•   above mentioned gerontology and good intergenerational relations;

•   humanistic psychology, logotherapy and preventive anthropohygiene;

•   addictions.

 Principles of our work:

• Interdisciplinarity. Our work comprise sociology, psychology, educational sciences, anthropology and philosophy, medical sciences and law. Within a field of gerontology and intergenerational relations also an spatial-infrastructural knowledge is important.

• Link between practice and theory. In its foundation it is built inseparable link between practical work with people in the field and research and teaching, respecting the principle that theory derives from the practice and that its findings are focused on the improvement of practice. This link-up is reflected through its developing and introducing of programmes and its publishing.

• Intersectoral cooperation. As demographic, gerontological and intergenerational issues require also intersectoral cooperation of government departments, the Institute cooperates with government and municipal agencies as advisor and task implementer. All the time Institute closely cooperates with the civil sector of non-governmental organizations - particularly in developing, training and organizing of volunteer work and in field of informal care. Furthermore, institute is working in connection with different professionals, Universities of Slovenia and also with Academy of Science and Art.

• Decentralisation. The institute is situated in Ljubljana, but we work throughout Slovenia. Working FOR local communities means working IN local communities.

• International cooperation. The Institute closely co-operates with similar non-governmental and university institutions in various countries (e.g. Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Croatia).

Through action projects, the Institute introduces new systems of self-support and for professional net in a social and educational field, trains professionals and non professionals for their work and leadership, prepares expert basis for their work and offers supervision.

The Institute is also a publisher of expert and scientific literature, reviews and books related to the field of the Institute’s own work: anthropology, family, social work, addictions and social gerontology – on the latter the Institute publishes a scientific journal named ‘‘Good quality of Old Age’’.

With existent projects the Institute has acquired reputation of a top-level institution in Slovenia. It has organised some expert seminars with participation of experts of various European countries, education of the leaders, volunteers and mentors of non-governmental organisations in the area of care for youth, old age and family. In 1992, the Institute organized Victor Frankl’s first visit in Slovenia with seminar on logotherapy and meaning. In the intergenerational year of the family, in 1994, it has organised a complex of expert meetings, symposiums on the topic of family. Furthermore, it was in charge of organizing the International conference Intergenerational solidarity and ageing, the final event of the European year for active ageing and solidarity between generations in 2012, which took place in Slovenia.

Financing