During their work in elderly care, Enny van Arkel and Ilse Nieuwland realised that the elderly do not only want to play bingo and do crafts, but actually they want to learn new things. They also noticed that the old and the young have perceptions of one another that are not always accurate. And thus, the Foundation Oud Geleerd Jong Gedaan (The old learn young) was born.
For almost a decade, the foundation has developed educational activities for the elderly. This is done with the help of students who share their knowledge with the elderly during a ‘lecture’. The topics are wide ranging and stimulating. For instance, how do backroom political lobbies work? And what do we know about the gods and goddesses of antiquity such as Zeus, Aphrodite and Hestia? Or how was it possible that one of the best chess players in the world lost to a computer? As part of the gathering, the old and the young challenge each other with critical questions. Curiosity about one another’s insights, allows the different generations to become more interconnected.
Every year, Oud Geleerd Jong Gedaan reaches around 30,000 elderly people. It engages 150 active students. Lectures are bookable through community centres, care homes for the elderly and libraries. Dioraphte contributes to ensure that seniors on low incomes can also participate.
