Transcript Developing an Intergenerational Project

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 are
Who you work for or your interest in IG work
One 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
Activity
1. Allotment growing vegetables
2. School choir going into care home to sing at
Christmas
3. School, young people teaching old folks
group about smart phones
4. Fire service bringing young and old from the
community together to stop small fires
5. 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?
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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
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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
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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