The Remei colors

Participating entity: Group of older women from Pont

Description of L-S

This Learning and Service (S-L) project is developed in collaboration with the Grupo de Mujeres Grandes del espacio vecinal Lo Pont. The main objective is to create a memory game about the neighborhood, called “The Remei colors”, which helps to foster memory, creativity and mutual support among the participants. During the project, the students and the older women work together to design and create the game, which includes photographs and descriptions of emblematic places in the neighborhood. This project not only seeks to create a game, but also to strengthen intergenerational ties and give visibility to the stories and experiences of the older women of the Remei neighborhood.

Participants: volunteers and older women

Objectives:

• Know how to create a memory game.
• Participate in the different activities.
• Develop creativity.
• Check that the game is working

Reflections of UVic students

• At the beginning, we were a bit lost, but slowly we were able to move forward, some of us in the group had difficulty understanding the document, as it was very long and contained a lot of information. For the first day, it seemed like a big task ahead of us.
• Más tarde, planificamos como realizar la entrevista, puesto que pensamos que primero necesitábamos conocer las mujeres participantes, las profesionales que las acompañaban, así como el espacio y el contexto, para poder enfocar adecuadamente el proyecto.
• At first, we thought that the participants, the women, would not be at the interview, but when we arrived at their meeting point, they were there. It was quite a surprise, but a very positive one. Initially, we were a bit overwhelmed because we were caught off guard and we had to focus and adapt the questions on the spot.
• The women seemed very happy to have us there, and according to them, they were delighted that there were young people there.
• We started asking questions. Some of them didn’t know how to answer, but we were able to redirect them appropriately. We had a hard time getting them to follow the thread of the conversation because we discovered that they love to talk.
• During the process of choosing our general objectives there were many doubts, since we were not clear if the objective was to make a game for the women of El Pont or if the process of making the game with them had more weight. They concluded that we had to focus on the process, because it is very important to get to know them and for them to get to know each other during the eight sessions established by the project.
• They all told us something in common, which is that when they were young they loved to dance, and also that since they were little they have worked in the fields, factories or hospitals. We believe that it is very important to know the trajectory of these women, because now they are only elderly women, but it is nice to see that they have many stories and experiences to explain.
• Even though we had the planning in mind, we had to adapt the session due to the weather conditions. […] Despite the adversity we encountered, we were able to react quickly as a group and to reorganize the session and decided to reverse the sessions we had already prepared in advance.
• There were some funny moments during the videos that reflected the trust we had built up among all of us.
• When they saw this video they were very excited, since they are videos and photos that show the good times we have all had together.
• All the objectives we had for this work have been met, except for testing whether the game works.
• Although there have been days when we have not been able to comply with the established plan, we think that we have been able to solve all the problems in an efficient and correct manner so as not to harm the process of the project with the women.
• We felt that, despite the adversities at the beginning, the time and all the work that had to be done, we were able to overcome the obstacles and do a good job. As the semester went by, we understood each other better, the degree of motivation increased and led to a more active participation and interest, with clearer ideas and common objectives.
• Finally, we believe that this type of work often puts us in situations in which we do not want to be, but it is really what gives us new knowledge and strategies for the future, which we will have to use as educators. We are grateful and have really enjoyed these sessions, where we have been able to meet wonderful people. Seeing the happiness we can give and receive from people is priceless. It has been a short and long process at the same time, when you stop to think about all that has happened and all that we have lived. We are very happy with our project and all that this process has brought us.