Development of a training entrepreneurship program for older people in the Antofagasta commune, under the University of the Third Age model

Abstract

This experience of educational innovation corresponded to the development of a training program for entrepreneurship for Older People (OP) in the commune of Antofagasta, under the University of the Third Age model. The Participatory Action Research methodology was used, starting with a multi-sector diagnosis made up of 34 relevant actors who represented the OP as the main subjects of attention, government and municipal public organizations and private entities of the commune linked to the OP or innovation-entrepreneurship. After the semi-structured conversation focused on the economic problems of OP and their entrepreneurship opportunities, a qualitative grouping analysis was carried out with the record of emerging ideas, identifying the main problems and their proposed solutions. The emerging action plan gave way to the creation of an entrepreneurship program “GEROEMPRENDE”, consisting of a competency-based course with a gerontological teaching-learning system of 120 pedagogical lessons distributed in 5 specific modules and a transversal workshop for the promotion of active aging to be developed by university students taking service-learning subjects, thus promoting intergenerational work. The initiative is expected to provide economic development opportunities to the OP of Antofagasta and contribute to a better quality of life.