Paper short abstract:

The paper relates an activity developed with a group of elderly Brazilian ladies in the UK. The Open University for Third Age Students (UNATI) at State University of Maringa was designed to promote integration between the city's aging community and the university. Thus, it enhances culture, wellbeing, social and political formation, guaranteeing them the right to education and citizenship.

Paper long abstract:

Capability Approach (CA) theories enhance opportunities and freedoms that individuals have to achieve beings and doings they see as valuable, focusing on human flourishing, rather than economic gain, as a measurement for individual wellbeing (Sen, 1912). The current paper relates an activity developed with a group of elderly Brazilian ladies from 60 to 82 years old, undertaken in the UK. The Open University for Third Age Students (UNATI) is part of the State University of Maringa (UEM) projects and it was created in 2010 and designed to promote integration between the city's aging community and the university. The program enhances culture, well-being, social and political formation, guaranteeing the elderly students the right to education and citizenship. University teachers from all departments are invited to teach subjects that might interest the students. Currently, thirty-three subject matters from different areas such as language, health, well-being, psychology, and others, are being offered for more than 570 people. English Classes have been offered presentially since 2008, except during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they went online. There are four English classes with 25 students each. Most students are female and all are retired. Most of them have academic degrees in different areas, such as law, education, economics, etc. However, for others, it is the first time they attend classes in a university. By getting enrolled in the program courses, they will improve social relations, learn new skills, and become part of a larger social community. Thus, social inclusion and equity are fundamental principles of social justice; in this sense, the courses ensure social inclusion and equity to this group of people as part of the university which gives them the opportunity to participate fully in meaningful ways in society. Their motivation to learn English varies, some have children living in English language countries, some see English classes as the opportunity to be in touch with new cultures, language, and travelling. Thus, in 2023, fourteen female students from the English classes spent 10 days in the UK visiting historical places, learning about British culture, and experiencing traveling abroad for the first time. The group age was between 63 and 82, and based on the activities done during the trip and the reports of the students involved, the aim of this paper is to discuss several Capability Approach concepts such as freedom, gender equality, female empowerment, human flourishing and wellbeing, in order to analyse the beings and doings of the student's experience as part of the ladies in Pink in the UK. Consequently, the UNATI and the public university in Brazil programs are placing an important role in the process of promoting social inclusion, equity, human wellbeing and capabilities at the heart of the transformations envisaged by the 2030 Agenda established in the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) 2019.