As we come to the end of our programmes for this school year, we’re looking back on our intergenerational activities over the last few months.
"Seeing you all has been the highlight of these past few months. Talking to you all has made me feel happy and like a child again.” Zvart, older participant
“I don’t get to spend a lot of time with my grandma, so I’m glad I can spend time with you all and learn from your stories.” Year 5 pupil, Liberty Primary School
This term, we’ve continued delivering our intergenerational programmes across 10 locations in London and the South East. Our older participants have been volunteering more of their time to build relationships with children in their local area and support their learning outside of the classroom.
As Covid restrictions have eased, we’ve gone back to monthly, in person sessions, making the most of some outdoor activities. We’ve crafted, planted and looked at history over the past 70 years.
We started off visits to retirement homes again with a spring planting session, with lots of cress, nasturtiums and marigolds. Below is a picture of how tall one of our older participant’s nasturtium plants has grown - Carol clearly has a talent for looking after plants!
In June, we all celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - a national holiday that commemorated Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years of being on the throne. Together we asked the residents and children to look at history over the past 70 years and look forward to their ambitions and hopes for the next 70 years. They also made some amazing crowns together, noting down some things in their local community that they’d like to change if they were King or Queen for the day. At Bushey Court, St Paul’s Slade Green Primary School hosted a Jubilee themed tea party for the older people where the children served the older residents scones, sandwiches and cakes.
Finally, we had an end of year celebration in July where we reflected on the year, did a group quiz and made some summer-themed bunting to leave at the retirement homes until we start visits again in the new school year. On the bunting, the children and older people noted down what they’ve enjoyed about the sessions and what they’ve learned from each other. Here’s what some of them had to say:
“I’ve learned what older people go through like losing somebody they love and to be grateful for what we have.”
“I like all the older people, they make me feel like I’m welcome here.”
“I’ve enjoyed listening to the older people’s stories and finding out what they like.”
“Being around the children makes me remember my youth. I learned how important modern life and the internet is from them.”
“It was great seeing the children completing their tasks and seeing their confidence grow. As an ex-teacher, it was refreshing to be amongst it again. I loved it.”
In our social action programme, we’ve continued to run activities with two intergenerational social action projects in East London and support youth groups across the country to connect with their older neighbours. The young people at Langdon Park School threw an intergenerational party for their older neighbours, which we then turned into a ‘how to’ pack to share with other social action projects. There was lots of singing, games, drawing and some really special conversations!
It’s been an amazing year and we have been really grateful to return to in person sessions with the older people and children. We’ve brought primary school classes into retirement homes, seen friendships grow between 9 year olds and 80 year olds and helped to build more age friendly communities.
We would like to say a big thank you to all the older volunteers, children, teachers, parents, scheme managers, housing partners (Clarion, Orbit, Guinness, Wandle and Peabody), volunteers and trustees who have given their time and energy to make this year’s programmes a success. We’re looking forward to bringing more generations together again in September!