MULTIPLIER PROGRAMMES

Purpose

Anton Trstenjak Institute develops and implements special volunteer multipliers' programmes for healthy ageing. The purpose of these programmes is acquiring knowledge to manage everyday life with the method of social learning and intergenerational integration.

These programmes are low in cost, appropriate for mass prevention and effective in reaching their goals.

Implementation

All programmes lasts one year, they have the same organisational structure but each encompass different aspect of health:

• physical health: falls prevention, life with high blood pressure;
• social and mental health: ageing without violence, ageing without addiction, reading groups;
• spiritual health: life with rosary.

The programmes are implemented in groups of 8 to 12 participants. When a group finish one programme, members can decide to start a new programme. Many groups have been gathering for more than five or ten years.

Volunteer multipliers that are being trained at the Institut of Anton Trstenjak manage group meetings. Meetings are composed of the following parts:

• gathering and relaxed conversation of group members;
• introduction of the theme and sharing the experiences among group members (on each meeting the theme is quickly presented by multiplier or other group member afterwards the theme is discussed and experiences connected to the theme are shared among group members);
• short physical exercise;
• break;
• final feedback of group members and made agreement for the next meeting.