intergenerational knowledge exchange
DESCRIPTION
Background on the development of SeniorEngage, a European research project which aims to provide a social network for intergenerational knowledge exchange between retired and young professionals.TRANSCRIPT
SeniorEngage: Intergenerational knowledge exchange – challenges and findings Jennifer Woodard, Coordinator - SeniorEngage
Eindhoven, September 28, 2012
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“The new future of old age is about staying in society, staying in the workplace and staying very connected. And technology is going to be a very big part of that, because the new reality is, increasingly, a virtual reality. It provides a way to make new connections, new friends and new senses of purpose.”
Joseph F. Coughlin, AgeLab, MIT
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The SENIORENGAGE Project
Not everyone can stay in the workplace, but thanks to technology they can stay in their work SPACE. Continued connection with one’s profession can provide mental stimulation and psychological benefits.
Maintaining and creating new professional bonds with colleagues (young and older) after retirement is of great value for retaining a sense of identity.
Through intergenerational knowledge exchange and education, senior professionals provide can support to younger ones, and, in turn, seniors will continue to be involved in their profession contributing to their sense of self-worth.
The Premise
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The SENIORENGAGE Project
New research identified problems faced by retirees:
• Increased isolation after retirement; breakdown of the social network and everyday routines
• Consequences: depression and other psychological problems which in turn lead to physical problems.
The rise of Web 2.0 and social networking• After initial uptake by Gen X users, social
networking was becoming “mainstream”• Availability of open-source development
tools for deploying social networks for smaller groups
• Tide of new “silver surfers” – older people online. Still not using mainstream social networks.
Context for the project: 2009
Other factors• Research showing the benefits of
intergenerational learning in elderly.
• Loss of valuable knowledge as elderly professionals leave the workforce; it isn’t passed on.
Other factors• Increased European Comission
initiatives in the area of healthy aging and ICT.
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 1: Creating a truly intergenerational platform.
Step 1: Ascertain the real needs for both groups of users: young professionals and senior professionals.
Senior professionals, both retired and near retirement. Younger users – what do they need?
Development of scenarios, focus groups to discover real needs.
Solution: A social network where younger professionals and older professionals share knowledge between generations.
Sound simple? It’s a challenge.
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 1: Creating a truly intergenerational platform.
Step 2: Ensure no one is left behind. There is no one size fits all intergenerational experience.
- End- user training and involvement gives feedback that ensures that everyone will be able to use the tool: both young and old.
- Considering caregivers in the retired professionals group . This is a different subset of retirees because while they are no longer working they are extremely occupied with caring for loved ones 24-hours a day. Their reasons for social isolation are two-fold and their risk level for depression was considered higher as caregiving limits their participation in the social network.
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 1: Creating a truly intergenerational platform.
Step 2: Ensure no one is left behind. Even those with no computer skills.
- Workshops with endusers – to bring basic skills to users
- Caregivers ranked their computer skills differently than seniors in general.
- In addressing the Digital Divide: Online training materials and tutorials; contextual help
Computer skills in senior test groups
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 1: Creating a truly intergenerational platform.
Step 3: Creating a platform that is highly usable for seniors but still attractive for younger users
Main considerations:
- Create an environment that doesn’t isolate either group. Simple interface, not patronizing.
- Consider the attractiveness of knowledge possessed by senior professionals according to young professionals. Is the knowledge of senior professionals valuable to them? This varied by country but results largely positive. Younger adults do want to interact and learn from senior mentors.
Asked of young professionals: “The knowledge and skills of retired professionals in my domain of work is still of high value.” (%)
Likeliness to want to learn from retired professionals (%).
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 1: Creating a truly intergenerational platform.
Step 3: Creating a platform that is highly usable for seniors but still attractive for younger users
Main considerations:USABILITY – user-friendliness for seniors and ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES that don’t “get in the way” of younger professionals’ user experience on the platform who are “digital natives”
Contextual Help for users who “get lost” in the platform. Can easily be turned off for experienced Internet users or those already familiar with the platform.
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 2: Battling prejudices and misconceptions that hinder adoption.
Step 1. Consider that some users, both young and older need help understanding the benefits of intergenerational exchange. There are fears and misconceptions.
What Seniors Say:
“My professional knowledge is irrelevant because times have changed.”
“Younger people won’t be interested in what I have to share”
“My career was short so I don’t have a lot to offer”
“I’m too old for this type of thing”
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What Seniors Say about Younger Professionals:
“Young people have fresh ideas and the latest knowledge”
“ I would love to exchange thoughts and views with younger people…”
”New from young people create vitality”
“Young people are better educated so they can benefit my daily life”
What Young Professionals Say:
“Seniors´ work experience can be very helpful toput theory into action and the knowledge of
senior professionals should not be lost”
“ Knowledge and skills of retired professionals are valuable for example in planning,
starting and executing new projects.”
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 3: Responding to real market needs.Only by doing so can we ensure the uptake of the platform by both seniors and younger
professionals.
Step 1. Market research and Survey: “Attitudes and Behaviour of the Senior Population: Exploring the digital views of the aging population” – Microlink PC
Key findings:
Barriers hindering seniors’ usage of online resources• Too expensive and see no need – fear of the unknown• Have poor technological skills, too complex, inaccessible• Deteriorating cognitive, physical and sensory capabilities• Information overload, spam, viruses etc.
Seniors’ use of social networks• Around 80% of 55-74 year olds send/receive emails, but only 20% use theInternet for VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and around 18% post messagesto chat sites, blogs and social networking sites.• But older users are underrepresented in comparison to the general populationon social networking sites.
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CHALLENGE 4: Creating a truly European platform.
Step 1. Consider that the social reality for seniors (and even younger users) is not the same in all European countries. To that end, end users were recruited in various countries in the consortium.
Examples:
• Finnish seniors were less likely to talk about their professions in their daily life after retirement and many consider their professional life “the past”. In the case of Spain, seniors are much more likely to continue to talk about their profession.
• Only a third of Finnish seniors wanted to be a mentor for younger colleagues, while the corresponding number in Austria was 77%.
Finnish Retired Professionals
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The SeniorEngage Project
CHALLENGE 4: Creating a truly European platform.
Step 2. Consider that cross-border, cross-cultural learning will enhance the experience. However, language is an issue that needs to be dealt with (dealt with through technology?) How to make the experience more natural for seniors? This hasn’t been dealt with well even in mainstream social networks like Facebook.
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The SENIORENGAGE Project
Conclusions
- Know the market is different in different countries and even within the same country (e.g. caregivers)
- Foster engagement via a topic that younger and older generations have in common – their professions (and hobbies)
- Design for usability of BOTH target audiences – younger and older adults- Consider accesibility tools and assistive technologies that don’t get in the way
of the user experience- Battle misconceptions and prejudices through training with end users and
awareness.
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The SENIORENGAGE Project
Thank you! www.seniorengage.eu
Twitter: @seniorengage