ARTS and CULTURE COMPANIONS –volunteers assisting older people to enjoy cultural events

together with them

Jaana LaaloProject secretary

City of Lahti, Cultural Center

Lahti Sept. 10, 2013

• The Cultural center of the city of Lahti started this one-year project in the fallof 2011. I was resposible for organizing it.

• Our target was to create a new service for the older people who lived aloneand no longer felt comfortable leaving alone from their homes. At the sametime they were still in such good physical condition that they were able toleave and enjoy the cultural event of their choice when assisted by the Artsand Culture companion (later called ACC). The main aim was to create apositive experience for both parties.

• The basic idea for this project was copied from the city of Jyväskylä where thistype of activity was started several years ago. Since Lahti is the city of modernFinnish design, we also designed our own concept for the Arts and CultureCompanion service.

• Our partners in this process were two local voluntary work organizationsLahden Lähimmäispalvelu and Marian Kammari together with four localcultural organizations Lahti Symphony Orghestra, Lahti City Theatre, MainLibrary and Lahti City Museum.

• In our ACC-service concept the tasks and responsibilities were devided asfollows:

– The two voluntary work organizations found the experienced volunteerswho were intrested in arts and culture in general and willing toparticipate the special program that was put together by the Culturalcenter. These organizations were to be contacted by the customers inorder to find a suitable ACC for their needs.

– The main responsibilities of the Cultural center were to organize thespecial program for the ACCs together with the four local culturalorganizations, plan and execute various marketing measures and mediacoverage. We were also the main point of sending, receiving andforwarding information between different parties.

– Lahti Symphony Orghestra, Lahti City Theatre, Main Library and Lahti CityMuseum organized an information evening each for th ACCs. We walkedthrough their premises, checked lifts and toilet facilities, seatingarrangements for people with special needs, etc. Of course therepertoires of the season were introduced and the ACCs were able to askquestions related to them. All services of the Main Library are free. Thethree remining organizations offered special ticket prices and otherspecial conditions to the ACCs.

– The tasks of the ACCs were also agreed. They took contact with thecustomer (old person) who had ordered the service or for whom theservice had been ordered. They agreed all the details related to theevent based on the needs of the customer (ordering tickets, informing ofdifferent cultural events to choose from, timetable, etc). During thecultural event that was agreed upon, all assistance required was providedby the ACCs. They were also to pick up the customer from her home andbring her back after the event.

– Customers themselves, their family members, service provider, etc. wereto contact the voluntary work organization to order the ACC-service. Thecustomer was to cover the following costs: transportation from her hometo the venue and back, tickets both for her and the ACC. Refreshmentswere to be covered individually. It needs to be underlined that theassistance and time of the ACC as such was free of charge.

• There was some controversy related to the fact that the service offered by theACCs wasn’t totally free to the customers. Unfortunately it wasn’t sustainableto introduce such a service in Lahti.

• I want to point out that the ACCs were also kept informed about culturalevents where admission was free. So the money wasn’t an issue – it wastaking the initiative!

• The concept for the ACC-service was designed and it was time to put it intoaction. After the special program all new ACCs were motivated and ready tostart working. Hundreds of information letters were distributed to olderpeople direct, to organizations that provide other services to the target groupwe had defined when planning the ACC-concept, etc. Local newspapers andradio channels covered this subject.

We hoped that the ACC-information would be spread through the grape wine:good experiences would create more intrest.

• What were the results of the project and the status of the ACC-service?During the year 2012 the ACCs were ordered 50 times and the cultural life ofabout 80 old people was reactivated at least once. The ACC-service concept inthere and working: voluntary work organizations offer this service. The fourcultural organizations have their special offers to the ACCs still in place. TheCultural center informs the ACCs twice a year about the current culturalevents in Lahti.

But

• More resourses = manpower would be needed to activate these older peoplewho live alone and would need assistance in leaving their homes in order todo something enjoyable.

For these people need motivating, encouragement and empowerment inorder to take the iniative in using this type of services.

• I believe that through persistant work we’ll get long lasting results. However,any new ideas how to activate our target group would be highly appreciated!

Thank you.