Conference Program

Introduction. This study examines play as a pedagogical, cultural, and political resource to foster active ageing among persons with disabilities, contributing to the international debate on Ageing with Disability. Gameplay is conceptualized as a vital bridge connecting rights, self-determination, and everyday inclusive practices across the stages of life. It serves as a primary instrument for operationalizing active citizenship and lifelong learning.

Methodology. This exploratory study employed a qualitative empirical design centred on focus groups. This technique was selected to elicit nuanced opinions, motivations, and strategic proposals from a multi-stakeholder perspective involving political, social, and educational actors. The sample comprised 15 stakeholders from the Metropolitan City of Florence, spanning various professional and voluntary sectors. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis to identify emerging themes, points of convergence, and dissonances within the data corpus.

Results. The analysis of turn-taking revealed an iterative renegotiation of the concept of play and its practical applications; this confirms the polysemy of ludic methods documented in the literature. Regarding Ageing with Disability, three primary research trajectories emerged: a) territorial mapping of past experiences and current services; b) analysis of factors modulating participation and engagement levels; and c) project optimization coupled with the collection and assessment of enhancement proposals. The participants have perceived a gap, across these themes, in targeted local policies, with such responsibilities largely delegated to the third sector.

Discussion. From the perspectives of special education and critical gerontology, ludic activity can be proposed as a practice capable of bolstering the agency of older adults and their sense of community belonging. Self-determination is framed not merely as an individual skill to be developed, but as a human right to be secured through the design of enabling environments, accessible contexts, and support networks. In this light, local ludic services emerge as pivotal spaces for deconstructing stereotypical representations of ageing and dependency, thereby promoting participation and mutual aid even for individuals with significant functional limitations.

Conclusions. The findings suggest that it would be beneficial to use play as part of a reconceptualization of active aging in an inclusive form, linking it to other stages of life (for instance promoting it in early adulthood) and not reserving it for specific “categories” (with or without impairments, including those resulting from age). It is imperative to frame play as a rights-based pedagogical principle and to formulate the ludic experience within an evidence-based conceptual framework, promoting a local ludic culture free from stereotypes and prejudices.