The „Seniors in Action” competition is a part of PAFF “Third Age Universities” Program, launched in 2005. Its objective is promotion of educational initiatives addressed to seniors and stimulating them to activity. It is also aimed at social engagement of seniors, especially in form of inter-generational relations. The program is implemented mainly through support and popularisation of social initiatives taken by seniors and using their potential, knowledge, experience and time for the benefit of their local community, as well as through supporting the Third Age University environments.

For 10 years, the „Seniors in Action” competition has been offering the grants and training sessions for people over 60 who carry out social projects based on their own idea and who do that on their own or in cooperation with a younger person. The activities supported by the competition are those implemented by active seniors within the framework of Third Age Universities or in cooperation with other organizations and institutions.

10 years of the competition show that seniors are not only recipients of offer addressed to them but also animators and implementers of interesting and valuable projects carried out in their local communities. These projects serve solving local problems, e.g. they counteract social isolation of the elderly, organize meeting space for residents, promote interesting offer of activities for children or animate interest in local history.

The „Seniors in Action” competition allowed also for many experiences, afterthoughts, testing various methods and creating practical tools useful for stimulating activity of seniors and inter-generational cooperation. The community of almost 500 animators, seniors and young people active in their villages and towns,  has grown around the „Seniors in Action” competition.

The jubilee publication is summing up 10 years of gaining experiences through implementation of the competition. It is a presentation of its achievements, and first of all achievements of its participants – young and elderly animators who are the co-creators of the „Seniors in Action” competition and who contribute their ideas and opinions on it.

297 intergenerational projects stimulating seniors to work for the benefit of their local community and promoting volunteering by seniors have been carried out under the hitherto 9 rounds of the competition. Under the present, 10th round, 35 projects are implemented.

The competition is carried out by the Association of the Creative Initiatives “ę”, which is the manager of the PAFF “Third Age Universities” Program.