Wisewood Community Primary School are partnered with Sutton Heights retirement scheme in Sheffield through our Empower programme. Rhianne, a teacher at the school, tells us about the impact of the workshops.

The workshops have been really impactful, providing a space for children to engage with people they wouldn’t otherwise speak to. Some pupils don’t see their grandparents or interact much with people from different generations.

The workshops help children create positive associations with what it means to be an older person. The children were surprised with some of the stories and different experiences that the residents have. They thought the residents were really interesting and had done really cool things with their lives - and were still doing so!

What’s great is that the children and older people connect on a deeper level because they’re spending an extended amount of time together. You can see the effects the workshops have on the children afterwards. They often ask what we can do to help the older people further. The workshops have helped them develop empathy and a sense of responsibility for others.