Developing an Intergenerational Project

Yvonne Coull

Aims of the Day• What is intergenerational working?• Where do I start and how do I contact schools and

groups?• What are the do's and don'ts?• Where do I get funding?• It benefits whom? • How do we publicise our work?• Practical considerations• Barriers

Introductions

Turn to the person next to you and tell each other:Who you areWho you work for or your interest in IG workOne interesting non work fact!

Then change sides! – 5 Minutes only!!

Principles of Intergenerational Practice

• Mutual & reciprocal Benefit

• Participatory• Asset based• Well planned

• Culturally grounded• Strengthens community

bonds and promotes active citizenship

• Challenges ageism• Cross-disciplinary

Pinto et al.

Definition

• Brings people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities

• Promotes greater understanding and respect between generations

• Builds more cohesive communities• Is inclusive• Builds on the positive resources that young and old

have to offer each other and those around them Beth Johnson Foundation

What is a Generation?

What is an Intergenerational Project?

• Young people being supported to learn about financial issues

• Older volunteers teaching young children to be aware of environmental dangers

• Younger volunteers helping people with dementia with memory stories from the past around for example: football; the town; music

• Conflict resolution in the community, creating understanding between various groups in the community, community safety and respect;

• Community arts projects to improve the local environment;

• Younger volunteers teaching older people modern technology, text messaging, iphones, emailing and the internet.

Generations Working Together

Case studies on web site under networks.www.generationsworkingtogether.org

Planning

• Who are the participants?• What do we want to achieve?• Involve all the participants in the planning

from day one!• Write down your aims and outcomes• Write down who is going to benefit

Activity1. Allotment growing vegetables2. School choir going into care home to sing at

Christmas3. School, young people teaching old folks group

about smart phones4. Fire service bringing young and old from the

community together to stop small fires5. Intergenerational kitchen older people teaching

younger people to cook.

Do’s• Do think about the wider

picture • Identify someone who is

the lead• Do identify outcomes

and identify shared priorities

• Do prepare• Discuss fears, queries

and worries

• Do identify key contacts within partner organisations, carers or families.

• Do plan • Do allow enough time• Do create some quiet

time for adults and space for the young people to be active

Don’ts

• Don’t ‘age’ segregate• Do not be overambitious• Don’t think of older

people as just one homogenous group

• Don’t forget that the needs of the younger old will be different from those of the older old

• Don’t automatically assume everyone can attend all meetings

• Don’t exclude minority groups

• Don’t think disclosure is difficult and an obstacle

Benefiting Whom?• Document the activity and the aims and

outcomes• What is your plan? Who is going to benefit and

how? • Monitor and reflect on outcomes throughout the

activity and how changes are occurring. • Obtain feedback from all involved.• Evaluate the project as a whole and draw out

sustainable elements which can continue.

Where do I get funding?

• Local Authority• BIG• Charity• Foundation Scotland• Comic Relief• Red Nose Day

• Banks – Zurich Community Fund; Lloyds TSB Foundation; Santander; Baring Foundation

• Funding Central• Europe

Intergenerational Work and Learning

Evaluation

• Beth Johnson Foundation– http://www.centreforip.org.uk/

• Evaluate Scotland– http://www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk/

• Joseph Rowntree Foundation– http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/1859354157.pdf

Promoting Your Project

• Who are you going to tell?

• What are you going to tell them?

Who are you going to tell?

• Make a list of who you want to tell• What form of communication are you going to

use?– Press Release/Posters/Radio– Local publications/local websites– Modern Social Media– Hold an event

What are you going to tell them?

• Make 5 or 6 main points• Personal Stories/Case Studies• Words or pictures?

• Remember – planning and organising help!!

Practical considerations

• Bringing the groups together• Clarifying the purposes and aims of the work• Inclusion• Provide opportunities for questions and

concerns to be addressed• Resources• Disclosure

Bringing Groups Together

• Groups may benefit from meeting separately before meeting together

• First meeting together needs to be planned carefully

• This process has implications for timescales, venues and activities

Practical Considerations

• Time• Child care • School times and terms • Daylight hours • Costs and transport for members • Language differences

Barriers• Participants may feel that it’s not for them  • Jargon, difficulties understanding key

concepts, such as ‘intergenerational’ and ‘intergenerational practice’ 

• Prejudice and mistrust• Local dynamics/history• Negativity e.g.. the fear of what people think

of individuals/groups

• Fatigue – feeling that things will never change

Benefits

• It can encourage inclusion and involvement, reduce prejudice and help build social capital and cohesion• It can be a powerful community engagement tool• It can be about how services are delivered in a more effective way