Intergenerational Engagement Research Articles

Intergenerational Programs in Early Childhood Education: An Innovative Approach that Highlights Inclusion and Engagement with Older Adults

ABSTRACTInterest to engage older adults in early childhood education (ECE) programs is growing. Although still relatively new, intergenerational engagement is an innovative practice that could alter the way in which ECE is approached. This article explores intergenerational ECE programs and discusses the wide variety of benefits that intergenerational engagement brings to both children and older adults. This article examines existing intergenerational programs inside and outside of ECE to demonstrate how elements of those programs could inform intergenerational ECE programs. Drawing on lessons learned, we discuss challenges and present recommendations for development and implementation of future similar programs.

Program Profile: A Service-Learning Model for Intergenerational Conversation about Science and Current Events between Longterm Care Residents and University Students: Case Study

ABSTRACTThe population of the United States is aging rapidly, and older adults are transitioning to long-term care (LTC) with higher levels of education. Furthermore, projected workforce shortages reinforce the need for students who will enter the healthcare and social services sectors and who will work with this population. This creates a need for innovative and cognitively-stimulating LTC programming models, and development of intergenerational communication skills. Here, we describe a case study of one such model for accomplishing both aims. This report describes a service-learning, educational framework for intergenerational communication through service learning by providing scientific programming to LTC residents. Programming is led by university students. Background information, steps for implementation, assessment of efficacy, and future directions are discussed. With this report, it is our hope that this programming model will be a useful tool for LTC facilities and gerontology educators for intergenerational engagement between residents of LTC and students, for mutual benefit. This model also aims to promote interest in gerontology and aging education amongst students earlier in their academic and professional careers.

Socrates Café for Older Adults: Intergenerational Connectedness Through Facilitated Conversation.

Opportunities for social connectedness are important for older adults' psychosocial well-being. Social connections through intergenerational engagement provide older adults benefits such as increased generativity, improved cognitive functioning, and a greater sense of self-worth. The facilitated discussion known as Socrates Café is ideally suited for bridging generation gaps and inviting self-expression. Socrates Cafés provide an alternative to more traditional social programming by promoting communal inquiry and substantive reflection on questions of value and meaning. In a study of an intergenerational Socrates Café with college students and low-income older adults, findings indicated reduced ageism and stereotyping from students, the formation of relationships between students and older adults, and a recognition from older adults that they had valuable insights to share with younger generations. Health professionals wishing to improve psychosocial health for older adults may consider setting up an intergenerational Socrates Café. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(1), 11-15.].

Promoting intergenerational learning in higher education: older adult perspectives on course auditing

ABSTRACTAs the population ages, colleges and universities have opportunities to promote intergenerational learning by inviting lifelong learners to engage with students in the classroom. This article outlines an initiative to enroll older adults as auditors and to describe their experiences. Thirty of 40 older adult auditors completed a hard-copy survey administered in 2017 (75% response rate). Results indicate that auditors were motivated to enroll in a college course due to the self-satisfaction of learning, subject of the course, and time of course offering. Over half described completing course assignments and a majority accessed content on Blackboard at least once per week. Older adults reported engaging with students in and out of the classroom and described the benefits of intergenerational engagement as learning about younger adults’ perspectives and the reciprocity of learning and mutual respect between generations. Suggestions for improvement relate to offering more courses for auditing and greater assistance with course technology. Implications for promoting this type of lifelong learning initiative are discussed.

Using Photovoice to Understand Barriers and Enablers to Southern Labrador Inuit Intergenerational Interaction

ABSTRACTIn Indigenous communities, strong intergenerational relationships have been identified as valuable due to the ways they contribute to cultural continuity and community wellness. This project uses Photovoice, a qualitative, participatory research method in which participants take photographs to examine Southern Inuit older adult and youth representations of intergenerational relationships in Labrador, Canada. Photovoice proved to be useful in accessing elder and youth perspectives on intergenerational engagement in this community, while bringing diverse generations together in a shared, meaningful activity. Our findings suggest that family, community, and the transmission of cultural knowledge are hubs of intergenerational engagement.

Bridges Together Creates & Shares Monthly Intergenerational Resources

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the recognized need for training to support intergenerational engagement. Bridges Together is leading the way in doing so amongst a variety of audiences including teachers, program directors in aging, librarians, mentors, grandparents and more. To establish a network for these audiences to learn, share, and connect; Bridges Together has recently launched a Membership Program so that monthly content can be distributed and individuals can be brought together to network. All of our collaboration aids in intergenerational engagement which is becoming a top priority and an approach to problem-solving within communities, schools, corporations, and families around the world.

Voting Together: Intergenerational Politics and Civic Engagement among Hmong Americans

Voting Together: Intergenerational Politics and Civic Engagement among Hmong Americans

Collaborative Kaitiakitanga - New Joint Pathways in Guardianship

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi Engari, he toa takitini - Success is not the work of one, but the strength of many. This metaphor encapsulates the collaborative sharing of knowledge, collections and aspirations held by communities and Museums to create new, mutually beneficial research pathway and community outcomes for all. Ngāti Kurī is descended from the founding people of the northernmost peninsula of Aotearoa - Te Hiku o Te Ika. The mana and rangatiratanga of Ngāti Kurī extends into a number of ecological biogeographically significant sites on the whenua (the land) and moana (sea) - Rangitāhua (Kermadec Islands) an international marine reserve, Manawatawhi (Three Kings Islands) a nature reserve and Te Hiku o Te Ika (mainland) including Kapowairua .There are many unique species that have been found within their rohe (territorial lands) and are important centres of endemism. Ngāti Kurī settled their treaty claim in 2014 and was a key claimant in Waitangi Tribunal claim no. 262 (WAI 262) relating to Maori intellectual property rights particularly relating to flora and fauna. Ngāti Kurī aim to reclaim, restore (knowledge and practises), revitalise and rejuvenate themselves and the environments they have inherited in the sea and on land. To realise this vision Ngāti Kurī partnered with a number of scientific partners on a "Pupuri Mauhanga o Ngāti Kurī " (species stocktake/inventory).The key objective of this project being to strengthen their kaitiakitanga - build community resilience, capacity and capability which are aligned to WAI 262 and integrated into their strategic vision - Ara Whanui (Many pathways) and Te Haumihi (ecological restoration plan) for their rohe. The resulting species lists will form the baseline data to develop strategies and tactics for the management and rejuvenation of taonga (treasured) species in their rohe. In March 2018 Ngāti Kurī partnered with Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum to undertake a BioBlitz (https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/plants-animals-fungi/bioblitz) in their rohe (territorial lands).This was part of a larger programme of work documenting biodiversity combining both scientific and Mātauranga (Maori indigenous knowledge system) approaches. This unique model aims to empower intergenerational engagement and partnership with science in the natural environment, centred around tamariki (children) and instilling the responsibility of kaitiakitanga (guardianship). The results have been highly successful through this internationally significant approach. This approach will be described with highlights of the BioBlitz and larger biodiversity programme as an example of a successful bicultural relationship.

Implementing reverse mentoring to address social isolation among older adults

ABSTRACTReverse mentoring is a means to address the social work Grand Challenge of social isolation. Among older adults, reverse mentoring can improve social connection by increasing the digital competence of older adults so they can use technology for social benefit, and by facilitating intergenerational connections with young adult mentors. In this paper, reverse mentoring is examined within an intergenerational program that serves older adults and utilizes the native technological knowledge and skills of young adults who mentor older adult participants. Qualitative data were collected through young adult mentor logs of each session, and through open-ended questions on the post-surveys collected from older adults and young adult mentors. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes related to social connection: (1) an increased sense of self-efficacy for older adults as they build confidence in technological use, and for young adults as they develop leadership skills through mentoring, (2) the breaking down of age-related stereotypes, and (3) intergenerational engagement and connection. The findings demonstrate that reverse mentoring can be used in various settings to decrease the social isolation of older adults by developing intergenerational connections and increasing older adult usage of technology.

Claymation for Collective Intelligence and Intergenerational Learning in an Educational Environment

ABSTRACTElementary students, volunteering older adults, and university students use their collective intelligence as they engage in intergenerational learning during an after-school enrichment activity producing Claymation videos. Participant reflections, completed questionnaires, and candid photos document learning and relationship building, suggesting intergenerational visual art engagement as a replicable method of lifelong learning for multiages in a school environment.

The Third Age of Life: Leveraging the Mutual Benefits of Intergenerational Engagement

Concerns about population aging are well justified. Our longevity gains in the last hundred years exceed that of all previous millennia combined, and the first baby boomers are only a decade from entering the fastest growing demographic age category of the U.S. population (i.e., those age 80 and older). To prepare, we will need to develop a more poised care workforce, technological advances that facilitate enhanced wellness and independence during periods of physical frailty, and the financial means to pay for both. Some argue, though, that addressing these issues are at odds with meeting the growing needs of those on the other end of the age spectrum—our nation’s youth. Experts suggest that the alarming increases in inequality among young people today have the potential to create devastating problems over the next several decades, including perpetuation of health and educational disparities, and as a result, a less productive future workforce ( Putnam, 2015 ). However, we contend that the challenges that come with population aging are outweighed by the unique resources older people offer, resources that are particularly valuable for addressing challenges facing young people today.

Conceptual Frameworks and Practical Applications to Connect Generations in the Technoscape

There are many ways to frame and use technology so it functions as a pathway to intergenerational engagement. The ever evolving technoscape is filled with powerful technological tools and resources that help people connect, communicate, build relationships, and take collective action across generations. This technology can be life-altering, especially for isolated seniors and families navigating long distance relationships. However, at the center of the intervention equation is not the technology itself, but the quest for tapping into the relationship-enhancing potential of the technology. To explore this potential, an international survey was conducted with 46 intergenerational programs that reflect innovation and intensive uses of technology. Results demonstrate that important strides are being made in utilizing new technology for effectively connecting generations and positively affecting aging adults’ lives.

Work, Aging, and Risks to Family Life: The Case of Australia.

The relationship between work and family is considered with an emphasis on policy solutions. Australian policy is a case example in the context of international trends. A mismatch between policy initiatives and familial and personal priorities constitutes a new social risk associated with demographic and sociocultural development. Contemporary trends, both nationally and internationally, evidence solutions to the “problem of demographic aging” by adopting a form of economic instrumentalism. This restricts legitimate age identities to those associated with work and work-related activity. When applied to family life, such a focus runs the risk of reducing policy interest in intergenerational engagement to unpaid care roles, while personal development and age-related life priorities are ignored. The need for cultural adaptation to population aging is becoming accepted in policy debate and is considered here as an effective response to the personal, social, and economic risks of population aging and associated impacts on family life.

Mind the Gap: An exploratory investigation of a family learning initiative to develop metacognitive awareness

Mind the Gap is a family learning project aiming to facilitate intergenerational engagement with learning in schools through the vehicle of a stop-motion animation project.1 Implicit in the animation process is reflective and strategic thinking that helps to make the process of learning explicit (Learning to Learn: Wall et al.). The animation project takes place in school and targets Year 4 children (aged 8 and 9 years old) and their dads/male guardians. The project is accompanied by staff development in school to promote the same Learning to Learn approaches across curriculum and home/school boundaries. A team of researchers at Durham University is engaged in two projects: first, developing better understanding of the intervention elements and, second, evaluating the impact. This article will focus on data arising from the former and will explore the space for family learning created in the project. We propose that the context of an inherently challenging animation project, which includes schools, parents and children working together in new ways to learn new skills associated with information technology and creative story making, increases the likelihood of dialogue about learning. It opens up the possibility of new relationships between home and school as well as increases the potential for learning-based conversations that could be lifelong and lifewide.

Intergenerational Engagement with Hip Hop: Parents as Mediators of African American Adolescent Consumption of Popular Culture

Now imagine there's a shorty, maybe five maybe four. Ridin' 'round with his mama listening to the radio. And a song comes on and a not far off from being born, doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. Now ain't trying to make it too complex, but let's just say shorty has an undeveloped context about the perception of women these days. His mama sings along and this what she says, Niggas, I'm a bad bitch, and I'm bad bitch. Something that's far above average and maybe other rhyming words like cabbage and savage and baby carriage and other things that match it. Couple of things are happenin' here, first he's relatin' the word bitch with his mama-comma, and because she's relatin' to herself, his most important source of help and mental health, he may skew respect for dishonor.-Lupe Fiasco Bitch Bad (Waco, Jordan, Giannos, & Boyd, 2012)The study reported in this article addressed the socialization messages African American female adolescents receive, the hip hop cultural movement as an educative site, and the role of parents and educators in countering the dominant scripts and facilitating media literacy among these young women. first hip hop generation, born between 1965 and 1984, have entered adulthood and middle age and now have children impacted by musical content and imagery that influenced them (Kitwana, 2003). Today, young people all over the world are identifying with and using popular culture to define themselves, for many of them, the adults in their lives are as well.Based on the (mis) representations of Black women and girls in the media, the author co-created a media literacy group and designed a pedagogical intervention to deconstruct media messages of Black women and their meanings. work with this group was intentional in historicizing stereotypes about Black women and encouraging Black adolescent females to (re)define Black girlhood for themselves. In addition to fostering a reaffirming space for Black girls to create or maintain, a positive self-identity, the author also sought to explore the intergenerational engagement with hip hop occurring in the household of the girls, based on dialogue conducted in the media literacy group. By exploring relationship dynamics and level of dialogue with these girls and their parents, the findings contribute to the literature on Black family socialization. This research also adds to the literature that examines students' out-of-school time, and the environmental and social determinants of academic success.THE HIP HOP CULTURAL MOVEMENTA revolution in youth culture was launched through the evolution of hip hop and effects youth's multiple identities. Television, another form of popular culture, has nudged its way into this space as well. Aisha Durham (2010) referred to the music in hip hop and its imagery as hip-hop media. There are several television shows, on a variety of networks, in which hip hop is the basis. VH1's & Hip Hop-New York, with spin-off, Chrissy & Mr. Jones, as well as & Hip Hop-Atlanta, with a spin-off in the making based on a controversial couple, Stevie J and Joseline Hernandez. Additionally, several hip-hop artists have created television shows: rap mogul Sean Diddy Combs' Making the Band and Who Wants to Work for Diddy, William Flavor Flav Drayton's Flavor of and subsequent spin-off shows I Love New York and Chance of Love, RunDMC artist Reverend Joseph Run Simmons' Run's House, rapper Clifford T.I. Harris' Family Hustle, rapper Jayceon The Game Taylor's Marrying the Game and Bravo channel's The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Hip hop continues its reach into film with three films, 8 Mile, Hustle and Flow, and Get Rich or Die Tryin', all receiving Academy Award nominations. 8 Mile, starring White rapper Eminem, received the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Lose Yourself from the movie soundtrack. song was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. …

Assessing the Impact of Youth Empowerment on Bringing Social Change in Punjab

The objective of this study is to highlight the importance and role of ‘Youth’ in Pakistan. In Pakistan, sixty-three percent of population is under the age of twenty five; this section of population is ‘Youth’ of country. Youth are a major driving force in the progress of any country. In a country where youth forms the majority of society, power and authority must be in the hand of youth. Empowerment of Youth is often termed as a path to intergenerational peace, civic engagement and democratic stability. Today many local, international agencies and nonprofit organizations are providing programs focused on youth empowerment. Present study focused to assess the impact of youth empowerment on bringing social change in Punjab. Present study was conducted in Punjab city. Three government universities i.e. Punjab University Lahore, Gujrat University and University of Agriculture, Faisalabad were selected randomly. Proportional sample sizes of 200 students were selected randomly. Well-designed interviews were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used for analysis. It was found that majority of the respondents had knowledge about socio-economic, political, educational and social issues policies empower youth. It was concluded that majority (95%) of the respondents had thinking that that the development of specific communicational skills empower youth. Large majorities (74%) of the respondents were satisfied with the policy of promoting technical education. It was found that significant association between gender, age, education, income, marital status and satisfaction with the policies regarding women empowerment with their perception about the impact of youth empowerment on bringing social change. Strong political will is required in order to empower women. To achieve this, vital role can be played by women politicians and activists by highlighting women’s’ issues at various forums. Moreover, priority should be given to solve these issues by the government. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n4p331

Threads and Yarns: Intergenerational Engagement and Cross-Disciplinary Research through Textiles

ABSTRACTThis article discusses Threads and Yarns, a three-phase intergenerational textile project exploring personal accounts of health and well-being as part of the Wellcome Trust's 75th anniversary program. While project participants engaged in creative making workshops, they talked about their own biomedical histories. These personal accounts were then examined by researchers of science, history of medicine and medical humanities, as well as textile design students. Each researcher developed responses that were presented at a public engagement event held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in July 2011. The students used their experience to inform their research exploring textile trends within a social context, and their resultant films were also featured at the event. The article demonstrates how communal crafting can be used as a cross-disciplinary research tool to facilitate valuable insights into the past and future of health and well-being, and to inform socio-responsive textile design research practice.

Using Food Ethnographies to Promote Systems Thinking and Intergenerational Engagement among College Undergraduates

This article discusses an intergenerational, interdisciplinary service-learning project that integrated courses on life-cycle nutrition and developmental psychology. Students from the two classes worked in teams to interview older adult learning partners in their community about diet, lifestyle, and personal life events deemed relevant to nutrition and wellbeing, to create food ethnographies based on information learned. As a service-learning component, students provided the older adults with individualized nutrition and wellness plans at the end of the project, based on the older adult's expressed interests and concerns. In this paper, we describe how the project was carried out; discuss how learning goals pertaining to systems thinking, sustainability consciousness, and intergenerational engagement were assessed; and present the results of that assessment. Results of qualitative analyses of student work, as well as quantitative analyses of a course survey indicate that the project facilitated student learning related to the three goals.

Implementing Music Therapy-Based Intergenerational Programs in the Community

Music-Based Intergenerational Programs, Older Adults and Community Engagement Through Music.Research in music-based intergenerational programming has shown benefits such as improved cross-age attitudes and cross-age interactions between younger and older generations. However, there is limited information pertaining to how older adults' experiences change based on the age of the younger participants. The purpose of this paper was to compare older adults' experiences in three multiple-aged music intergenerational programs. Older adults were involved in one of three musicbased intergenerational groups with youth of differing ages: preschoolers, elementary-age children, and college-age young adults. The preschool program focused on teaching academic skills through music activities. Participants in the elementary program interacted with fourth-graders through singing, moving to music, playing instruments, and structured conversations. Older adults in the college program participated with music majors in a rock band and chorus, and performed a final concert at the local university. Older adult participants were interviewed upon completion of the programs. Results revealed that older adults had different motivations for participating in the three varied intergenerational programs (preschool, elementary, and college programs). Differences were also discovered in older adults' descriptions of the programs, and in perceptions of the programs' benefits provided to the younger generations. The author will discuss how to use these findings to structure future intergenerational programming in school and community settings.

Environmental Design Perspectives on Intergenerational Programs and Practices

One of the critical issues in the intergenerational studies field is the lack of attention to how the physical environment plays a role in promoting, or inhibiting, intergenerational engagement. Whereas attention has been paid to the goal of creating “multi-generational” settings, where the physical environment is designed to accommodate the physical and psychological needs of people across the age and ability spectrum, there has been less consideration of ways to create environments that afford opportunities for meaningful engagement between members of different generations. This paper highlights several innovative accounts of designers actively planning and constructing physical environments that are responsive to intergenerational engagement goals. It is noted, however, that these examples tend to be localized, discipline specific, and site specific, and there is no integrated knowledge base addressing key issues tied to the design of intergenerational spatial environments. This paper aims to provide a common conceptual ground from which professionals from relevant disciplines can draw guidance when engaging in intergenerationally oriented environmental planning and design. A “conceptual matrix” is presented which relates intergenerational principles, design concepts, and illustrative applications. The matrix demonstrates how certain environmental design strategies and decisions have produced desired patterns of intergenerational exchange in various settings. This paper is intended to stimulate further inquiry and innovation regarding efforts to plan and construct physical environments that are responsive to intergenerational engagement goals.