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Mark Silver Social Worker Uniting Aged Care Victoria Tasmania Elgin St. Centre Hawthorn

INTERGENERATIONAL SPACES & PROGRAMS FORUM 24 TH SEPTEMBER 2012 Turning Theory into Practice Connecting Generations & Communities. Mark Silver Social Worker Uniting Aged Care Victoria Tasmania Elgin St. Centre Hawthorn. Combating Isolation.

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Mark Silver Social Worker Uniting Aged Care Victoria Tasmania Elgin St. Centre Hawthorn

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  1. INTERGENERATIONAL SPACES & PROGRAMS FORUM 24TH SEPTEMBER 2012Turning Theory into Practice Connecting Generations & Communities Mark Silver Social Worker Uniting Aged Care Victoria Tasmania Elgin St. Centre Hawthorn

  2. Combating Isolation “I know it’s just a story, but it makes me feel like someone is listening…..and that I am not alone. We are not alone. That makes a huge difference to me.” Joe Lambert Centre of Digital Storytelling Intergenerational programs can be examples of community & identity building

  3. Combating Isolation It is every person's responsibility to be present for others, and .. it is incumbent on us to recognize that despite differences among people, we must fight distrust and suspiciousness because “the other” is one of us, no matter the superficial or even philosophical differences ….. intergenerational involvement is crucial to both old and young, and it reduces suspicion and mistrust, replacing it with understanding, friendship and a reduction in loneliness Elie Wiesel

  4. Intergenerational ProgramsWhat are they? “Activities designed to bring the generations together can improve wellbeing and quality of life for all those involved”

  5. Intergenerational ProgramsWhat do they do? “Intergenerational programs are about building meaningful ties that connect people through sharing talents & resources, not only by supporting each other in relationships of mutual benefit but also improving society as a whole ”

  6. Benefits for Older Participants: • Encourage Community Participation • Improve Physical, Emotional & Cognitive wellbeing • Remain productive & valued as contributing members of society • Learn from young people • Forge new friendships • Pass on values, culture & traditions to new generations

  7. Benefits for Young People: • A means to become recognized & valued as productive useful & contributing members of society • Share their unique talents & skills with older adults • Gain an awareness and appreciation of Ageing • Develop meaningful relationships of trust with adults which can provide guidance, wisdom, support & friendship • Learn about history “first hand”

  8. Community Benefits • Learn and exchange experiences, knowledge, cultural traditions and skills • Encourages community involvement and promotes social inclusion. • Dispels inaccurate stereotypes and promoting mutual respect and understanding • Very rewarding and most of all fun!

  9. Types of Intergenerational Programs • Young Serving Old • Young people volunteer in aged care facilities Old Serving Young • Older persons being mentors & tutors • Young & Old Serving Together • Young & old together working on joint projects • Intergenerational Shared Sites • Young & old receive services in same location

  10. Examples of Intergenerational Programs • Experience Corps – Mentoring the young • Linkages Canada –Programs at all levels • Intergenerational Centres eg Acacia in London • Generations United • The Beth Johnston Foundation

  11. Examples of Intergenerational Activities • Parenting support • Arts and Crafts • Healthy lifestyles • Cooking and eating • Gardening and horticulture • Debate & discusion • Crime prevention and community building activities • Heritage and cultural activities • Employment and job-readiness • Music and Drama • IT skills

  12. Temple University Intergenerational Centre Philadelphia • Supporting Children & Youth • Fostering Immigrant Integration • Helping Caregiving Families • Building Community Capacity

  13. Positive Ageing Digital Storytelling Intergenerational Project PADSIP Older Persons many with a disability from local area around Hawthorn, Kew, & Local High School students (Year 9s from Hawthorn Secondary College) Meeting Together & Sharing Experiences & Stories & Producing Digital Stories

  14. Storytelling “The cultural roots of storytelling are about how life values are incorporated in the honouring of the passage of life events” “Story is learning, celebrating, healing & remembering” - Joe Lambert Director of Centre of Storytelling

  15. The Power of Stories Stories can be powerful and empowering. Through them people can link together with others and with the things that they value and give meaning to.

  16. THE NATURE OF STORYTELLING • Re-storying the way people interpret their lives • Linking life events with stories & discovering the driving values that lie behind them • Bearing witness & richly acknowledging experiences • Externalising issues so that they can be managed more effectively • Duality of experience - for every story of trauma there is a story of survival that is often unrecognized

  17. The “Therapeutic” Elements As well as sharing, listening & the retelling of stories, the process of discovering and researching stories can be projects and activities that can be “therapeutic” in themselves.

  18. IMPACT OF STORYTELLING PROJECTS • Identity & Relationships • Processes as well as products • Regaining agency over one’s life • Connecting & Reconnecting • Building stronger communities,

  19. The Importance of Stories • Trauma • Sexual abuse • Chronic Illness • Disability • Palliative care & life threatening illnesses • Connection from Private Domain into the Public Arena • Disenfranchised grief • Getting stories into the community • Linking words and people • Isolated • Aged Care • Youth • Migrants • Mental Health issues

  20. Horizontal & Vertical Connections Horizontal - with each other Vertical - with the past - Connecting & building a stronger identity through developing significant & meaningful historical, intergenerational, social and personalconnections

  21. The Older Participants • Often defined by their age & disability • Services segregated with other older people • Facing losses • Feeling marginalized, isolated • Being devalued The project offers an opportunity to be part of a community, feeling valued and giving as well as receiving

  22. The Students • Facing struggles of entering adulthood • Welcome nurturing opportunities • Need to build confidence • Connect with larger community • Lots of ideas & skills to offer This project offers opportunities for positive encouragement experiences & learning about relationships in the wider community.

  23. Let’s meet together to learn, heal, celebrate, remember ……………………and have fun

  24. - ESTABLISHING INTERGERNARATIONAL PROGRAMS • Employment of Project Officer • Facilitate partnerships between facilities & schools & tertiary colleges • Assist with MOU • Resource & support projects developed so that they can be sustainable • Investigate funding sources • Assist with building training component • Develop evaluation methodologies

  25. Building Strong bonds The growing dialogue between the older and younger participants is very engaging and intriguing with plenty of opportunities for exchange of stories and ideas in an evolving atmosphere of trust and friendship

  26. Benefits of Storytelling Project for Older Participants: • Develop connections with students and each other • Feel valued, acknowledged & recognized as people first not defined by age or disability • Pride in having meaningful impact on others • Have a story for family/group/community

  27. Positive Outcomes for Students • Connecting with others • Learning about themselves • Opportunity to care and give to others • Receiving “unconditional positive regard” • Learning more about life and about relationships

  28. Impact on Organizations • School • Positive affect on student performances • Benefits across the whole school community • Aged Care Organization • Successful program for enhancing wellbeing • Concept can spread throughout organization Raises Profile of Both Organizations

  29. Ideas for Intergenerational Storytelling Projects • Residential Settings • Admission - books, journals, photos, groups • During major life events - story tributes • Community Settings • Activity groups - storytelling workshops • Group programs - specific: - history, theme based • Partnerships with primary, secondary & tertiary education providers.

  30. Broader Community Ideas • Digiclubs/Storytelling Centres • Intergenerational Centres & Communities • Partnerships with • Oral History • Preservation of Memory • Cultural & Language learning

  31. Final reflections • Students have been asked to give and care and that the older persons have been valued by their contribution. • Learning about life, common values and qualities such as resilience and inspiration to overcome challenges together. • New technologies learning has also been important. • The forging of new relationships though has been the cornerstone of the program.

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