Intergenerational Program Database

Volunteers partner with students in grades three through six for after-school programs. The volunteers model and teach fun, healthy activities and hobbies in small groups in the school. Hobbies taught include: making nutritious snacks, collecting (stamps, coins, sports cards), crafting, the art of clowning and needlework. RSVP volunteers fill the community need to provide structured after-school activities while students learn they are valued by adults in their communities.

Grandparent/grandchild camp is a half week day camp for grades K-up. Adults and children camp in our campground with their equipment. Grandparents and grandchildren will join our staff who provide programs that encourage fellowship and interaction. Two lunches are included for the children and grandparents. There are optional activities for adults during the day.

Sauk Trail fourth-grade students and senior citizens from around the area teamed up on a project this past year that combined art and the environment. The result was more than 60 pieces of art that demonstrated the students’ concern about the importance of preserving local nature. The program began by observing and discussing nature, wildlife, and habitats seen at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. The students then spent an afternoon interviewing senior citizens at Middleton Glen Retirement Community, Heritage Senior Living, and Middleton Senior Center to hear what the environment was like when the seniors were fourth-graders. Back in the classroom, students discussed what they learned, along with what has changed in nature, the environment, and in life. They agreed there is a strong need to protect natural resources for future generations. Students in each of the three fourth-grade classrooms created a booklet, drawing a scene from nature for each letter of the alphabet and writing about it.

The Intergenerational Program connects older adults with children and youth in Dane County. Intergenerational volunteers work with students across Dane County, volunteering as tutors, computer buddies, guest speakers, and as support to students in the classroom. Intergenerational volunteers also work with children at various community nonprofit organizations in Dane County.

The mission of the Plymouth Intergenerational Coalition is to maintain and promote opportunities that build and honor relationships between generations through positive social and educational experiences. Keyword: Shared Site

The Intergenerational Program gives residents and children the opportunity to form close friendships that span many generations. One program within the Intergenerational Program, called Read-To-Me, encourages kids to read out loud to the residents in a relaxed, low-stress environment. Students from Pierce Elementary School make quarterly visits to the Jewish Home and Care Center to participate in the Read-To-Me Program. This vital exercise builds the confidence of the students and strengthens their reading skills and ability. Additionally, the residents gain a sense of purpose and usefulness in helping the students achieve their academic goals. Another program within the Intergenerational Program gives middle school students from Hillel Academy the opportunity to conduct formal and informal interviews with residents of Chai Point Senior Living. The students use the information and stories from the interviews to create meaningful classroom lessons in research, personal and cultural history while learning methodologies in expository writing.

LINK-ages consists of school and community people committed to expanding intergenerational activities in the DeForest area since 1992. Its mission is to develop and support programs and activities in the schools and community that mutually benefit students, families, and older adults. Programs include Meals on Wheels, Senior Prom, reading programs and an annual bingo party.

The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities has launched a network-wide intergenerational initiative, Second Acts for Strong Communities, in partnership with Encore.org, to strengthen the ability of human-serving organizations to meet the needs of our nation’s children and youth. This initiative will provide opportunities for experienced adults, age 50 years and older, to use their unique skills, experiences, and wisdom to improve outcomes for children/youth and strengthen the organizations that serve them. We believe that bringing generations together in community-based programs and the workplace will inspire new solutions, improve outcomes for youth, and fuel a new approach for promoting social change. Keyword: Shared Site

This program recruits, trains, and coordinates undergraduate students to facilitate creative storytelling sessions with elders with cognitive disabilities in care communities affiliated with the Creative Trusts in Milwaukee. Students commit to a semester of storytelling but commonly continue for the full year. At year’s end, the stories are shared publicly to inspire others to use creative engagement to nurture relationships with people with cognitive disabilities. TimeSlips is used in service-learning around the country, but the Creative Trusts offers stable, shared governance of the program that is a national model for collaboration in this important area of need.

Serves individuals and families of ages with disabilities.