PACE - Physical ACtivity Enhancement

The activities implemented during the PACE project were many, all divided into specific work packages that guaranteed their effectiveness and replicability in the future. The main objective of the project was to prove, through scientific means, the benefits of physical activity for two age groups: 50-65 and 65-75, through physical activity courses lasting six months. To achieve this goal, the project was divided into four phases: preparation, implementation and monitoring, evaluation and creation of outputs and dissemination, the latter phase still ongoing even after the end of the project. During the first phase, the preparation phase, the "operational" partners, UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso, AJSPT Suceava and Courage Foundation, identified the activities to be administered to the target groups, while the "academic" partner, the Miguel Hernandez University of Elche prepared the physical and psychological tests to be administered to the participants. During this phase, the partners identified the participants through small local events, involving an average number of 25 participants for each target group, for a total of 150 active users across Europe. During the implementation phase, the partners administered the tests to the participants, to evaluate the physical and psychological conditions before the courses, to then test them at the end and evaluate the results, with constant monitoring through informal tools. The partners selected specific activities for each target group: Nordic Walking, Zumba, Fitness and Norbekov for the 50-65 age group, while for the 65-70 age group, Adapted Physical Activity, gentle gymnastics and folk dances. Following the data collection, during the evaluation and output creation phase, the University analyzed the data and created a paper, which was then published in the scientific journal of the Stefan Cel Mare University of Suceava. The partners have also created a manual of good practices useful both to professionals (instructors, sports educators), and to end users, an output that is more relevant than ever given the COVID-19 emergency that forces the elderly to stay at home. The dissemination phase, still in progress, saw the creation of an online platform, consisting of social pages and website, but also the use of the communication channels of each partner. The site contains detailed information on the PACE project and its partners, as well as their contacts and free download outputs.The project also saw the development, during the transnational project meetings, of two important dissemination events: one in Turin, where the project was presented, and one in Plovdiv, where the results were presented. Relevant stakeholders (sports instructors, professionals, representatives of pensioners' associations), the press, and local administrations were invited to both events.