Abstract:

In Russia in recent years, especially due to the limitations of the pandemic, interest in active older people and in the issues of their empowerment has begun to grow. In 2021, within the framework of the scientific project No. 21-011-31683 "New self-organization practices and public initiatives to empower elderly people in Russian regions2 the practices of self-organization and empowerment of older people in three regions of Russia were studied. A team of scientists from June to November 2021 conducted interviews with active older people in the Rostov, Sverdlovsk and Ivanovo regions in compliance with all norms of research ethics.

The study showed that informal and lifelong self-education plays a key role in the practices of self-organization and empowerment of older people. The statements of the informants contain a lot of valuable data proving the presence and high role of education in empowering older people. This leads us to the proposal to introduce into the spectrum of characteristics of empowerment, in addition to the proactivity, motivation, participation, growth of competence, status, self-esteem and independence, also a new feature - the inclusion of people in the practice of lifelong non-formal and self-education.

In this paper, the author gives an in-depth description of an interview with an active lady - a member of the community of masters of the city of Volgodonsk (Rostov region, Russia), describes the history and results of her involvement in creativity and lifelong learning. Using the example of this case, the author wants to show the importance and role of non-formal and self-education in empowering older people.

This goal is solved during the discussion of the main tasks:
- descriptions of key signs of empowerment of older people;
- descriptions of the masters community of the city of Volgodonsk as a space for empowerment and lifelong non-formal and self-education of older people
- descriptions on the example of an active participant in the masters community at the age of 70 of personal goals, experience and motivations of lifelong non-formal and self-education.

The analysis showed that among the key motives of an older female master and her meanings of participation in the life of the community is the desire to constantly learn, develop and master new things. The leading way of its self-development is non-formal and self-education. Our informant gets a lot of opportunities to expand her competencies and capabilities as a result of her involvement in the community of masters. The meetings of masters of applied creativity themselves act as a way of organizing professional communication and training, motivate for further activities. The possibility of creativity, self-realization, learning and self-development in a team of like-minded people, the translation of experience, benefits for others are factors of social well-being in old age, meaningfulness and fullness of life, demand and inclusion.

Acknowledgements:
The reported study was funded by RFBR and EISR according to the research project № 21-011-31683 «New self-organization practices and public initiatives to empower elderly people in Russian regions».

Keywords:

Older people, informal and self-education throughout life, empowerment, community of masters.