29.03.2022

Erasmus+ project helps tackle the loneliness of the elderly

EAEA is taking part in newly launched Erasmus+ project COPE which examines how cultural activities can alleviate the loneliness and social isolation of older people.

During the lockdown period of COVID-10 pandemic, older people with limited opportunities for social exchange were especially affected by loneliness. European-level research shows that about 25% of the participants who engaged in cultural prescribing felt lonely only half of the time compared to the time prior to the activities.

This is where the “Culture on Prescription” approach comes in. Building on the concept of social prescribing, already well established in the UK and Ireland, “Culture on prescription in Europe” (COPE) project examines how newly developed cultural activities in adult education can address the loneliness and social isolation of older people.

Supported by the Erasmus+ funding programme of the European Union and led by Germany’s Institute for Applied Social Research, Social planning and Policy Advice (ISIS) in Frankfurt am Main, project partners from Portugal, Romania, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany will join forces in COPE.

The project will implement COPE pilot courses to evaluate how cultural activities and mental health promotion can best be combined, and provides older people with a personalized “Cultural Prescription” for taking part in new and custom-made activities. These pilot activities will be developed locally by the COPE project partners together with professional facilitators with expertise in arts and culture.

More information about COPE:
Christin Cieslak, christin.cieslak [at] eaea.org

co-funded by Erasmus+ programme logo

01.07.2025 digitalisation

Building national ALE registries to support individual learning accounts

RALExILA is a strategic initiative to investigate and strengthen the structures that support adult learning (ALE), with a particular focus on the potential of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs). New research report provides overview of how 10 European countries structure their ALE systems through financial incentives, management frameworks, quality standards and registries of learning opportunities.

27.06.2025 Gender Equality Task Force

Flexibility is key for the inclusion of women into the labour market

On 27 June 2025, EAEA, EARLALL and EfVET co-organised an online webinar called “Inclusion of unemployed women into the Labour Market”. The webinar  gathered 28 participants to hear about good practices and policies across Europe, which highlighted the role of flexible learning pathways for true inclusivity.

26.06.2025 active ageing

Active Ageing: European frameworks and progress

Europe is experiencing a demographic change without precedent, with a rapidly ageing population that presents both challenges and opportunities for European societies. Within this context, the concept of "active ageing" must be increasingly central to EU policy.