Download - TRAMP - Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS

Working with Older Volunteers in Manual Intergenerational Projects
terials. One participating couple agreed to
do the shopping for each day. Due to this
coordinating effect, these regular plenum
meetings in the mornings (particularly
with the collaboration of teachers and pupils
of the cooperating schools) are highly
recommended.
Afternoon and evening programmes
In addition, the varied afternoon programme
(which was perceived as being interesting)
and the evening meal together contributed
to the increase of participants’
satisfaction and enforced the communication
processes between them.
Afternoon and evening activities included
the following:
At the invitation of the city of Hamm, the
mayoress, as political representative of the
town, welcomed the group at the castle
Oberwerries for lunch. They learnt about
the structural change of the Ruhr area by
example of the Maximilianpark and dealt
with the topics of migration and religion
using the example of the Hindu temple.
The Czech group (which was interested
in theatre) met the director of the Helios
Children’s Theatre, while the German-
French subgroup exchanged experiences
regarding the school education of children.
On one evening the group drove to
a hut on the premises of a mining pit in
Hamm, where they had a barbecue and ate
the salads which had been prepared in the
cooking workshop in the morning. Many
participants afterwards praised this barbecue
evening as one of the exchange “high-
The participation of l‘outil en main in the TRAMP project
has proved successful for our organisation. We have
met with associations from various European countries
with different experiences and our participating craftsmen
have learned a great deal. They gave enthusiastic reports
about the meetings and realised that language is not the
“non plus ultra”, but that manual work and “know-how”
are part of a context-rich communication.
Another positive aspect: l‘outil en main provides its volunteering
seniors with the dynamic and purpose of a “second
life“ (meaning retirement): travelling through Europe and
getting to know other projects and methods to reach a
common goal proves to be an excellent remedy for the immobility
in volunteer work. L’outil en main would like to
organise further exchanges with like-minded associations
on the following subjects, validation of manual work and
exchange of know-how in the intergenerational context.
In doing so, we would like to organise exchanges between
craftsmen, invite colleagues to our associations and send
groups to “colleagues” in other European countries.
Yana Boureux, l’outil en main, Troyes
lights”. During the exchange in Oberhausen
the participants visited the industrial
housing estate Wisenheimer, which serves
as an excellent example of political commitment
and creative options of citizens.
The structural change was also discussed
here by using the example of the Gasometer
and the World Heritage Site Zeche
Zollverein. In Prague the group toured the
old town, learnt about structural changes
by looking at a silver mine and discussed
the role of religion in history and present
using the example of the Holy Mountain
in Pribram. The Czech organisers went to
great lengths with regard to the evening
programmes. For example, they organised
games’ evenings and a major farewell
party. Amongst other things, the group in
Final Report 27