Minutes of the Kickoff meeting in Cyprus

November 2011

ConnectWith ICT GRUNDTVIG project

Each of the partners have presented their organization:

- structure and aims,

- past and ongoing projects

- plans for the future

- their interest edge in the Connect with ICT project.

In the presentations and the following-up discussion, the partners has expresses and demonstrated:

- a rich past and ongoing experience in regards with directly related themes with ICT training and Seniors.

- among of the partners’ activities in include:

- teaching at seniors: skills, ICT and Languages,

- health services and products

- providing services

- A special aspect was presented for Assisted Ambient Linving (AAL)

- Providing a diverse way of support to seniors.

Some of the showcases mentioned and presented were:

- The EU heritage programme “Memories” (where the experiences of seniors were recorded and organized in an oral history-like manner)

- marcelomacias.com (partner site)

Communication and coordination issues:

- The Pendik Minicipality (Turkey) will be the coordinator now, as per their partnership position (first)

- Partners agreed to have Skype meetings in between the physical meetings, for better coordination, as per Mr. Andrean Lazarov’s (Zgura BG) suggestion.

- All partners should send their presentations from the first meeting, in order to have them on the project’s website.

- Amagama will prepare a storage place on the website (e.g. Google Docs, or an exclusive for the partners log-in on the website) in order for partners to easily upload files, materials, documents for common reference and practicality.

- Some coordination and reporting issues raised during the meeting sessions, c/o the coordinator:

- Time sheets from partners for evaluation of staff

- ...and questionnaires from all persons involved in the trainings and other activities.

- Dissemination report

- Report from milestones (Monitoring process)

Activities and points of Interest:

- The e-learning module, that Amalgama (CY) will set up the platform before Christmas, should strive for an “AAA”-certified accessibility standard compliance. This will ensure accessibility to the system by computer systems used by persons with some disabilities, e.g. visually impaired.

- The e-learning module (online platform) AND the project’s website must be multilingual.

- Mr. Saatcioglu (Pendik, TR) will verify and let the partners know who is suppose to do what and when, as the project coordinator and main proprietor of the project proposal.

- Partners agreed to prepare a manual for making the training curriculum (in the e-learning module) accessible, especially for the elderly to be enabled to use it.

- An article has to be prepared as a First announcement of the project.

- And other articles in the future, during the lifetime of the project (Dissemination 3)

- Partners should prepare one module each for the e-learning curriculum.

- Also partners should prepare one video clip each, themed ICT training for seniors. For example, Amalgama will visit the elderly club of Strovolos municipality (a local partner) where they run ICT training for elderly and shoot the video there.

- Partners should deliver trainings to seniors (or elderly), based on the prepared e-learning system. An age range set was 50+, including both unemployed and employed persons.

- A Facebook page for the project will be prepared by Amalgama.

- On the project website (that Amalgama will create), will put online the 1st announcement (including information for the first meeting) and photos. Content to be prepared by January.

- Investigate for social networks for seniors, e.g.: http://www.seniorhome.net/blog/2008/50-best-social-networks-for-seniors/

- Gather all Presentations and store them online on the website.

Thoughts:

- The curriculum and training methodologies should motivate the seniors (the trainees) with real-life usefulness: HOW and WHAT to do with those tools - e.g.: to use Skype in order to talk cheaper.

- We need a number of seniors to travel for our project’s purposes (e.g.: for Cyprus is 8 mobilities for staff and 6 for participants). We should motivate them and some ideas to encourage them travel would be:

- to learn ICT

- entertainment

- have the opportunity to visit another country

- to socialize with other persons, other seniors

- to be active EU citizens by being participants in an EU project.

- Regarding Cyprus, the Cyprus Community Media Center could be a local partner, acting as disseminator and a relay for the project products and activities.