Projekt międzypokoleniowy w kształceniu geragogów i animatorów kultury

The article undertakes the issue of training of specialists in the field of socio-cultural activities for the elderly with the use of cross-generational project method. It describes classes carried out in cooperation between the university and two day care facilities for seniors. There have been presented free time activities conducted by students for seniors: its theoretical frames (competence theory, experiential learning), organizational frames and stages (introduction, conceptualization, activation, evaluation). Also the assessment of the effectiveness of the project method in gaining competences necessary in socio-cultural work with the elderly has been attempted. The students’ feedback indicates the acquirement of: new knowledge of old age, its specificity and the way it conditions the process of facilitation; capability of group cooperation and flexible use of methods adequate to the age of participants; professional self-awareness in the work with the elderly. Also the change in view on aging and the realization that there are values specific for this period of life have been pointed out. Learning from experience in cross-generational relations got the holistic character and may create the favourable conditions for gaining diverse competencies to work with the elderly. The difficulties in running cross-generational projects in frames of university education and ways of overcoming them have been discussed in the article too.