Helduak Zabaltzen: Transforming the models of Social Centres for the Elderly in the Basque Country

Helduak Zabaltzen is an initiative promoted by the Basque Government and Euskofederpen, to facilitate the transformation and adaptation of the model of Social Centres for the Elderly, as well as to accompany them towards digitalisation. Its main aim is to adapt the centres to the needs of the current and future elderly population. At the same time, it seeks to address the particularities of the rural and urban environments of the three historical territories of the Basque Country.

The project proposes pilot experiences in urban and rural environments in order to activate a participatory process for the design and implementation of new models of Social Centers for the Elderly in the Basque Country. 

Development and next actions

Throughout 2022, two pilot experiences have been carried out in Eibar and Erandio, creating two participatory co-creation processes in which older people linked to the centres together with representatives of the town council have designed actions aimed at their new goals. In the case of Eibar, their objectives are to generate a network of collaborative work between the Centres in the same locality, to increase strategy and planning within the Centres and to transform the models of participation. In the case of Erandio, the aim is to create awareness of a public, municipal and local resource and to increase the openness of the Centre.

In addition, three participatory meetings were held which generated wide-ranging community debates on the CSPMs and involved numerous agents. These included two World Cafés open to the entire ecosystem of the Centres in the Basque Country and an inter-municipal technical meeting aimed at weaving a network between the administrative figures that support and/or manage these Centres.

In 2023, continuity has been given to the urban processes, with both pilots implementing actions. And the rural approach has begun, creating four rural dialogues with the participation of people linked to the Rural Environment Centres throughout the Basque Country, which will be the basis for defining the method with which to accompany the two rural pilot experiences that will begin this year.

Lastly, it should be noted that two new participatory meetings are planned: a rural meeting aimed at the entire ecosystem of rural environment centres in the Basque Country and a second inter-municipal technical meeting.

Project funded by the Basque Government.