Kaumatua is a non-profit project designed to help mature adults to share their experience and knowledge with young generations. Through Kaumatua we propose a model of collaboration and intergenerational solidarity that goes beyond the family and friendships perimeter.
The population is ageing. Many believe it is a problem, we believe it’s an opportunity
What is Kaumatua
What we do
We make immediately available to mature adults opportunities with an high social impact in order to help young generations. We give young people, schools and no profit organizations access to a network of mature adults who are willing to give something back to the community and to have a positive influence.
Why Kaumatua
Kaumatuas are the elders in Maori (indigenous populations located in New Zealand) tribes. Their task is to lead, teach and pass down to the younger generations the mana, a word that means “strength which comes from the inside” or “spiritual power”. Kaumatuas, who are highly valued by the community, represent a bridge connecting the past with the future, in order to ensure that lessons learned are not forgotten.
“Old people are only the natural resource that is growing on the planet”
Dr. Laura Carstensen, Stanford University
A silver mine
Adults over-50 are a “silver mine” that expands, creating a precious reserve of human resources.
New-aging and liquid age
Time ago, ageing was seen as a loss of strength. This vision has now been superseded and age has become “liquid”.
Instructions for longevity
Longevity is a gift that comes without an instruction manual, It’s the baby-boomer’s task to write it.
Life has mutated
There are no longer activities for the youth and activities for the elderly, stereotypes have been overturned and life has excitingly mutated
The paradox of wanting to always be young
In the era of longevity, wanting to always be young is a paradox. But that’s what society seems to want.
Making centenarian life sustainable
Half of the Italian children who are now 10 years old, are expected to live up to 104. Will our society be sustainable for them?
The “new” older generation
Baby-boomers are used to redefining everything they touch. Let’s get ready: the revolution of the mature age is coming.
Retirement, from recreation to re-creation
The generation of the baby-boomers lives retirement differently than the previous generations: it’s a moment to start from scratch.
Why support the new generations
Generational overlap in work, study, recreation, and society is increasing, because we live longer and are overall healthier, and thanks to a cultural change that has transformed activities “for the youth” into activities “for everybody”. People from different generations are then together more often (in organisations and in society) with a great potential for mutual enrichment.
Unfortunately, this opportunity isn’t always seized and often leads to cohabitation rather than collaboration. Kaumatua wishes to break down these barriers (made of prejudices and practical obstacles) between generations because we believe that diversity, integration and collaboration create value for society.
What centenarians
can teach us
Centenarians have always aroused curiosity and this has led to numerous studies trying to understand the secret for living longer. Specifically, the Longevity Project led by Friedman and Martin studied its subjects from when they were very young and throughout the rest of their lives. Some of them lived for long, others did not. What were the most relevant differences? In short: genetics and a healthy lifestyle are important, but even more important are relationships, and more specifically those that make us engage in activities that have a significant meaning to us, and make us feel part of the community in which we live. Kaumatua wishes to increase the possibility for everybody, young or not, to create and foster these relationships.
