Intergenerational Program Database

Active older adults (age 50+) are teamed with youth (typically elementary-school age) for a half-day of fun educational and physical activities. The mission of the Games is to increase mutual understanding and respect between generations and to promote healthy, active, life-long behaviors. Intergenerational Games events occur in several locations throughout the county.

Low-income seniors mentoring children in schools, focusing on those with special or exceptional needs.

In the Five & Fit program, which is based on a model from Temple University, older adults (age 55+) guide young pre-schoolers (ages 2 - 5) and their families toward improved nutrition and enhanced physical activity. Activities include gardening, tasting fruits and vegetables, and fun nutritional education. The mission of the program is to prevent childhood obesity and to promote healthy, active, life-long behaviors. The program is a collaboration between Aging & Independence Services (the County of San Diego's Area Agency on Aging) and the Cuyamaca College Child Development Center.

Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring is a volunteer program that pairs older adults with children in grades K-4 to work one-on-one each week throughout the school year as their tutors, mentors and friends. Oasis tutors use a six-step approach to literacy designed by educators that emphasizes improved reading, speaking, listening and writing. The purpose of each session is not to work on homework or assigned classwork, but to build confidence & basic reading skills and encourage the development of a supportive friendship. Third party studies have shown that the Oasis tutoring program translates to stronger classroom performance and less truancy. Most participating children will end the school year reading at grade level.

Do you want kids in your community to eat better and exercise more? Consider volunteering for OASIS CATCH Healthy Habits, an after-school program that connects adults age 50+ with kids in grades K-5 to learn about good eating habits and play active games. The program combats obesity by engaging adults age 50+ as mentors to teach healthy lifelong habits to kids in grades K-5. It’s a fun way to be healthy yourself while you help kids learn good eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime. No experience needed, just your enthusiasm and interest in helping kids. Training and materials are provided.

GAP provides programs and services that meet the urgent and ongoing needs of grandparents and other relatives raising at-risk children. GAP currently serves relative caregivers in the Los Angeles County area, over 90% of which are grandparents. GAP provides cost-free, community-based programs and services, which include weekly therapeutic support groups, crisis counseling, education, advocacy, and respite care.  

Art to Heart, an art program at Studio Channel Islands Art Center is pairing elementary school students with seniors for an eight-week class that allows the two age groups to communicate, work together, create art and learn.

In this annual event students and their grandparents spend the day together. The event is held on the CBU campus and features “college” classes, a chapel service, a mini-concert, campus tours, lunch (featuring entertainment by the CBU Theater Arts Musical Group), and much quality social time with grandchildren and friends.

EngAGE Across Generations helps older adults become involved with younger people in their communities – as mentors, sages, and neighbors. The program offers an opportunity for people to inventory their skills and desires and provide places where those can be utilized to help guide youth through the stages of their lives. EngAGE connects with local schools and other organizations to provide support for their endeavors. Examples include intergenerational arts programs, mentoring, read aloud programs and even making films.

Stagebridge brings seniors trained in storytelling into classrooms. This program helps at-risk students develop listening and language skills.