We’ve partnered with Clarion Housing and the #iwill campaign to create a programme that enables youth partners to run meaningful intergenerational social action projects in their local communities.
Intergenerational social action breaks down barriers between different ages in order to help build more connected communities. It brings together younger and older people to work on issues that really matter and create positive change. In an increasingly divided world it’s so important, now more than ever, for all generations to support one another towards a better future.
How it works
Working in groups, young and old come together to get inspired about a social issue that they care about. They then come up with ideas for an action project around this social issue. Examples could include planting a veg patch to encourage healthy eating or organising a litter pick in the neighbourhood to prevent plastic pollution. We then help to turn this seed of an idea into a reality with the help of the intergenerational tools and practices that we know work.
Find out more about intergenerational social action through some of our projects: Generations Swap Cookbook, Exploring LGBTQ+ Connections and Hand Warmers Against Heating Costs.
Challenge & Growth
We like our social action projects to feel stretching and ambitious – we don’t grow when things are easy. Challenges provide us with opportunities to learn, strengthen our resolve and come up with creative solutions to tricky problems.
RECIPROCity
Intergenerational connections work best when there are mutual benefits for everyone involved. It’s not simply about one generation helping another; rather, we want to see people of all ages working together towards a greater goal.
leadership
We believe that everyone has a role to play in shaping what each project looks like. We want to support social action driven by the passions, concerns and interests of both younger and older generations, encouraging all participants to experiment with taking a lead on something they care about.
