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Intergenerational Practice A Global View
Tabea Schlimbach, Beth Johnson Foundation
Vergangenheit - wie Zukunft - sind nur Formen
der Gegenwart. Past and Future are just
Forms of the Present. Christian Morgenstern,
1871-1914
Workshop The International and European Future
of Intergenerational Activities 18th July 2007,
Session 1 (11.30 13.00)
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Introduction
Intergenerational programs can have universal
potential.
We can assume that there are intergenerational
initiatives in practically all countries. Interge
nerational Practice (IP) is not a new concept but
has a long history in countries all over the
world. Generations of all cultures have a need
to connect with each other BUT what expectations
are linked with the interaction, differs
according to social and cultural contexts. ? IP
is not transferable without restrictions.
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Global Trends

• Demographic changes
• Changes of family structures and relationships
• Breakdown of traditional support systems within
  communities
• Risk of both old and young people to be seen as
  burden or less valuable
• Negative effects of ageism
• Lack of mutual understanding and solidarity
  between generations
• Increased importance of learning over the whole
  life span
• Globalisation, Migration

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Common Trends
Universal definition Multidisciplinary
approach to IP programmes concern education,
literacy, housing, violence, poverty, health,
unemployment, environment A need to move from
the one-way traditional IP (the young learning
from the old) to reciprocal learning between
different generations. Intergenerational is a
term used by professionals but still not popular
for a wider audience.
Intergenerational Programmes are social
vehicles that create purposeful and ongoing
exchange of resources and learning among older
and younger generations.
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and challenges in IP

• Developing non-family IP
• Including Middle Generations in IP concepts
• Developing sound theoretical concepts for IP
• Training of IP professionals
• Global networking

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Global Aims of IP

• Transferring culture, knowledge and experiences
  through generations
• Uniting generations
• Contributing to lifelong learning
• Supporting older and younger people
• Improving intergenerational relationships in
  families
• Improving relationships between the community's
  young and old
• To meet specific needs of the community

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Regional Overview
IP is at very different stages of development in
different countries. Aims of IP differ
according to the cultural-historical, social and
political background.
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USA
Recent Decades The demographic revolution in
America took place earlier than in Europe. The
powerful generation of the baby boomers is
redefining retirement. America has a pioneering
role in the field of IP. IP has been a part of
the voluntary, public and academic sectors since
the 60s.
Today IP a well-established concept - diverse
programmes available across the US. Development
from focus on individual needs (60s-90s) to
addressing community problems.

• Current Focus and Challenges
• Advancing the Intergenerational Agenda
• Reframing public policy
• Programme institutionalisation

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Europe
Recent Decades Grass root activities IP on an
incidental basis. Systematic approach and
conceptualisation only started in the 90s
Today Over the course of the last decade wide
variety of sound concepts developed. Large
variety across countries. Areas culture and
integration, cross-generational learning, coming
to terms with the history Increasing
acknowledgement of IP in Social
Policy. Intergenerational Learning is one of the
key themes of the European Union.

• Current Focus and Challenges
• Quality development, training of practitioners,
  evaluation
• Systematic scientific research
• Establish common understanding of IP
• Sustainability of programmes

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Asia
Hard to make generalisations. Strong tradition of
respect for families and elders. Major changes in
family life and role of family members. IP focus
Transfer of cultural values and specific skills.
Current Focus and Challenges

• Bridging the gap between tradition and
  westernisation
• Need of more structured and focused initiatives
• Promoting a national agenda for IP and policies
• More educational opportunities for children and
  the elderly

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Japan
Grass root IP before intergenerational
programmes became a popular term. Social
policies are undergoing drastic reform - IP on
the political agenda. Growing attention to
intergenerational intervention in practice and
research. Japan Intergenerational Unity
Association JIUA.
China

• Restrictive population-control policy since 1979.
• Education and wellbeing of the single child has
  highest priority.
• Intergenerational approach has just begun.
• Mainly family based initiatives.

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Australia
Idea of IP is relatively new. Not yet part of
many peoples policy repertoire. The term
intergenerational" is conceptually loose. Lack
of programmes explicitly involving middle
generations. Focus on community building.
Current Focus There are efforts to establish an
Australian network.
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Africa
Strong relationships in families are deep rooted
in the culture. IP not yet a high profile, but
there is an increasing move towards it. Projects
still in early stages, often co-incidentally.
Mainly family based initiatives. IP to tackle
social issues (AIDS, poverty, illiteracy, teenage
pregnancies).

• Current Focus and Challenges
• Create a higher profile of IP
• Evaluation and documentation of projects
• Institutionalisation of IP

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Latin America
is a youthful region in transition to
population ageing. IP mainly family based. Aims
of IP ? Transfer of cultural values and
specific skills. ? To tackle social issues such
as poverty, health, basic education. Lack of
formally developed IP.

• Current Focus and Challenges
• Developing the understanding of IP
• Bridging the gap between tradition and
  globalisation
• Explore community places for activities outside
  the family
• Research is needed to investigate existing
  programmes

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Trans-national cooperation and networking
It is invaluable for us to learn from and share
ideas with international intergenerational
experts. Masataka Kuraoka and Satoru
Yajima-Sugioka, Japan
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ICIP
International Consortium for Intergenerational
Programmes (ICIP). Founded 2000 in the
Netherlands by a group of international
specialists.

• Aims
• Network tool exchange information and research
• Support of intergenerational activities
• Promotion of the potential and benefits of IP
• To compare situations and solutions from
  different countries

• Current focus
• Relaunch of the ICIP website
• Support regional and global networking

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Thank you very much for your interest! For more
information, please look at the Literature list.
If you have further questions, or if you can
provide me with up to date information about IP
worldwide, please send me an email.
tabea.schlimbach (at) web.de