Helduak Zabaltzen: a collective process to rethink and transform social centres for older people in the Basque Country

This article presents the results of the pilot schemes carried out as part of the project “Helduak Zabaltzen: a collective process to rethink and transform social centres for older people in the Basque Country”, run by the Basque Government’s Department of Wellbeing, Youth and Demographic Challenges.

These pilot projects were carried out in four municipalities, with the aim of gaining an understanding of social centres for older people and facilitating the transition towards a new model of such centres in the Basque Country, adapted to the current and future needs of the older population and their communities. Social centres for older people, a widespread resource with diverse characteristics and operating models, currently face challenges relating to governance, participation and their relationship with the community.

During the pilot projects, these challenges were addressed using a methodology based on participatory action research, adapted to different rural and urban contexts.