A new open-access guide, “Age-Friendly Communities: How Cities and Municipalities Are Building a Better Future for All Generations”, supported by the Behaviour in Crisis Lab, highlights how cities and municipalities can create better futures for all generations. Developed within the AFCC Poland initiative, coordinated by the Jagiellonian University (Centre for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies) in collaboration with the Medical College, the network brings together local governments, experts, and public institutions committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.
Creating age-friendly communities requires more than policy declarations, it is an ongoing process grounded in collaboration, evidence, and genuine engagement with residents’ experiences. This is the guiding principle behind the AFCC Poland network (Age-Friendly Cities and Communities), coordinated by Jagiellonian University (Centre for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies), which brings together local governments, experts, and public institutions in joint efforts to improve quality of life for people of all ages.
As part of this initiative, we are pleased to present the guide “Age-Friendly Communities: How Cities and Municipalities Are Building a Better Future for All Generations” („Społeczności przyjazne osobom starszym: jak miasta i gminy tworzą lepszą przyszłość dla wszystkich pokoleń”).
The report serves as a comprehensive and practical resource for local governments, experts, and public institutions seeking to improve living conditions for residents at every stage of life. It is based on the experiences of Polish municipalities and the collaboration of researchers, policy experts, and practitioners. The guide covers key domains of age-friendly policy, including housing, mobility, social participation, health and care services, communication, and the accessibility of public spaces.
Of particular relevance to the research agenda of the Behaviour in Crisis Lab is the chapter devoted to supporting older adults with migration and refugee experience, including individuals from Ukraine. This section analyses the needs of older people and the challenges they face in accessing services, achieving social integration, and functioning in crisis contexts (Supporting Older Refugees from Ukraine in Poland after 2022).
The publication was edited by Professors Jolanta Perek Białas and Maria Varlamova.
It has been published by the Centre for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies at the Jagiellonian University (Faculty of Philosophy) in cooperation with the Jagiellonian University Medical College.
The report was made possible with the support of the Behaviour in Crisis Lab (Excellence Initiative – Research University, Strategic Programme of the Jagiellonian University) and CEAPP UJ. The first print edition was additionally funded by the City of Stargard.
doi.org/10.26106/9788367127714
👉 Full report available via the Jagiellonian University Repository
AFCC Poland - Polish Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities
AFCC Poland: A Practical Guide to Age-Friendly Communities
