Conference Program

Contemporary European societies are confronted with profound demographic transformations that challenge educational systems to rethink the role of lifelong learning in fostering inclusion and intergenerational cohesion (WHO, 2021). Social isolation among older adults is an increasingly widespread condition, characterised by the progressive weakening of social networks and a reduced sense of community belonging (Cornwell & Waite, 2009), with significant consequences for physical, psychological, and relational well-being (Badcock et al., 2023; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). The Covid-19 pandemic further intensified these dynamics, highlighting the centrality of meaningful relationships for individual and collective health (Deluigi & Ricci, 2023). Within this scenario, lifelong learning plays a crucial role in supporting active ageing, recognising informal competences, and fostering intergenerational citizenship (WHO, 2021).

This contribution presents the educational design and implementation of Ginkgo – La Fabrique du Lien Social, a European Erasmus+ project aimed at preventing social isolation among older adults through structured non-formal learning pathways. Rather than adopting a standardised curriculum, the pathway was flexibly configured according to the specific characteristics and training needs of different participant groups, including university students, care professionals, caregivers, volunteers, and older adults at risk of isolation.

Grounded in biographical learning and reflective methodologies, the training programme combined theoretical inputs with experiential and participatory activities (Knowles, 1978; Kolb, 1984). Particular attention was devoted to narrative practices as educational tools capable of fostering reflexivity, relational competences, and critical awareness of age-related stereotypes (Levy, 2009; Staudinger & Bowen 2010; WHO, 2021). Within this framework, the development of photobooks emerged as a workshop-based learning process integrated into the training structure. The photobooks—combining interviews, images, and narrative reconstruction—functioned both as formative experiences and as outputs of the educational pathway.

The contribution adopts a qualitative and pedagogical perspective to analyse how the modular structure and narrative workshops supported: (1) the recognition of informal and experiential knowledge; (2) the development of relational and reflective competences across heterogeneous groups; (3) the strengthening of connections between higher education, care services, and local communities.

By examining the adaptive design of the training pathway and the role of narrative artefacts within it, the contribution explores how biographical and participatory methodologies can contribute to building inclusive lifelong learning cultures in ageing societies. The experience highlights the importance of flexible educational design capable of responding to differentiated needs while maintaining a coherent pedagogical framework oriented toward active ageing and social inclusion (WHO, 2021).