What is intergenerational practice?
Intergenerational practice aims to bring people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contributes to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive, building on the positive resources that the young and old have to offer each other and those around them.
Younger (under 25) and older (50+) people are the two groups most affected by ageist attitudes and when we talk about abuse, poverty, lack of political voice and marginalisation these two groups are the most affected. They are doubly disadvantaged if they are also members of other socially excluded groups.
Intergenerational approaches are an effective way to address a number of issues - many of them key government priorities - such as building active communities, promoting citizenship, regenerating neighbourhoods and addressing inequality.
The links between intergenerational practice, research and policy are key to the development of intergenerational practice in the UK and to the integration of intergenerational approaches in a range of policy arenas.
Intergenerational initiatives have direct impacts on those involved, as well as on their communities. Participants may feel increased self-esteem from being able to give to and receive from others. They can experience improvements in health and a greater sense of being valued members of their communities. Older people can provide younger people with positive role models both of engaged citizenship and of active ageing. Young people represent a link to the future for older people.
Intergenerational initiatives often fall into three categories:
- members of one generation supporting another
- people from different generations working together to address community issues
- people from different generations learning together
Examples of intergenerational practice
Intergenerational projects can take many forms, some examples are:
- volunteers mentoring students in school
- older and younger people coming together to find ways of reducing fear of crime in their neighbourhood
- young volunteers providing services to older people; shopping, reading etc
- older volunteers supporting young parents
- toddlers visiting people with dementia in residential setting
- older people working with students on a school history project
- people from different generations working together to transform a waste area into a neighbourhood park.
Why 'intergenerational'?
Many changes in society - such as increased geographic mobility - have led to generations frequently becoming segregated from one another - especially younger and older people. This separation can lead to unrealistic, negative stereotypes of whole generations and a decrease in positive exchanges between them. Yet these separated generations do have resources of value to each other and furthermore share areas of concern - for example, both young and old are often marginalised in decision-making that directly affects their lives.
Intergenerational projects attempt to bring the generations together again, improving understanding between them, increasing the support they provide to one another, and ensuring that their voices are heard within their communities.
The Intergenerational Practice, Policy and Performance: A Framework for Local Authorities publication
supports the development of intergenerational work this has been produced with a case studies.
If you would like further information on intergenerational work, including a more in-depth exploration of the issues involved, please refer to our Intergenerational Programmes: An Introduction and Examples of Practice (2006) and our 2002 Review of Intergenerational Practice in the UK.
To be kept up to date on current integenerational activities join the Centre's members network and come along to the networking meetings and events: contact us.