Inštitut Antona Trstenjaka za gerontologijo in medgeneracijsko sožitje (Slovene)

The Anton Trstenjak Institute of gerontology and intergenerational relations was founded in 1992 as a first scientific, educational and managerial-advisory institution in the independent Slovenia on the field of interpersonal relations, health strengthening and resolving of personal and family distress. The Institute was co-founded by the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Art in 1992. In 2004 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia co-founded the area of gerontology and good intergenerational relations, which made the Institute the national scientific social gerontology institution. The Anton Trstenjak institute works in the three main areas: - gerontology and good intergenerational relations; - humanistic psychology, logotherapy and preventive anthropohygiene - addictions. The main task of the Institute is the development and implementation of social programmes for quality ageing and good relations among young, middle and retired generation. We have developed 20 original programmes that are classified into four areas: - programmes for informing the communities on the possibilities for quality ageing, preparation on the old age and better intergenerational communication; - learning courses for practical group social learning of good intergenerational relations; - voluntary programmes for intergenerational companionship - programmes for local self-organisation of the intergenerational network for quality ageing and good intergenerational relations. With existing projects the Institute has acquired reputation of a top-level institution in Slovenia. It has organised some expert seminars with participation of experts of various European countries (totalling all together more than 500 participants), education of the leaders, volunteers and mentors of non-governmental organisations in the area of care for youth, old age and family. In the international year of the family it has also organised a complex of expert meetings, symposiums (totalling all together more than 2.000 participants of all profiles and competencies which are working with people) on the topic of family. The Institute is also a publisher of expert and scientific literature, reviews and books related to the fields of the Institute s own work: anthropology, family, social work, addictions and social gerontology - on the latter the Institute publishes a scientific and expert journal named Good Quality of Old Age (Kakovostna starost) The Institute is operating in the whole Slovenia and it is working in connection with both Universities of Slovenia and also with Academy of Science and Art. Currently 10 experts are active in the mentioned institute. It is getting finances through implementation of the projects (nearly 70%), through donations (nearly 15%) and through voluntary work (nearly 15%). The Institute closely co-operates with similar non-governmental and university institutions in various countries (especially Germany, Italy and Austria). The institute is a member of SKZP (Slovenske krovne zveze za psihoterapijo as NAO) and EALEA (Eurpean Association for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis as EWAO) and through them of EPA (European Association for Psychotherapy).