Active Aging in Local Communities and Participation

Demographic, technological, and social transformations are redefining the conditions for exercising democratic citizenship, posing new challenges for local education and welfare systems. In this scenario, population aging is not only a factor that puts pressure on services, but also a test of communities' ability to promote social cohesion (Cramm, van Dijk, & Nieboer, 2013; Cramm & Nieboer, 2015), active participation, and lifelong skills maintenance. The case of the Umbrian rciano fits into this dynamic. Over the last twenty years, the resident population has grown from approximately 15,200 inhabitants in 2001 to approximately 21,400 in 2021; at the same time, the proportion of citizens over 65 has grown from 17.9% to 21.8%. This data indicates a structural trend that requires preventive policies focused on active aging and the enhancement of the experiential capital of older adults. This paper presents a pedagogical analysis of the “Longevo Project”, configured as a territorial research-intervention based on the “Community House” model, understood as a proximity device. The aim is to investigate how an integrated approach to lifelong learning, digital inclusion, and civic engagement can facilitate the transition from a predominantly welfare-based system to a participatory approach (Pellegrino & Rodeschini, 2024), capable of recognizing those over 65 as competent and co-responsible actors in local public life. The theoretical framework is rooted in community pedagogy and lifelong learning perspectives, viewing active aging as a multidimensional process (Urtamo, Jyväkorpi, & Strandberg, 2019) that includes continuous learning, maintaining cognitive and relational skills, informed access to technology, and the opportunity to contribute to collective decision-making processes. Methodologically, the project was structured around a neighborhood support desk that listens, provides guidance, and continuously monitors needs, including through a “permanent census” aimed at identifying situations of social isolation or digital exclusion. In this context, the implementation of “CorciALBO” - the municipal register of volunteers - has taken on a strategic role. It serves not only as an administrative registration tool, but also as a means of recognizing and reactivating skills developed throughout working and social life. Through registration and participation in the project, people over 65 were able to transform their experiential capital into a collective resource, contributing to cultural and local support initiatives. This process has helped to maintain skills, strengthened perceived