Intergenerational learning

1
Intergenerational learning

• Larnaka 2010

2
Welcome again
Task

• war II generation
• rebuilding generation
• protest generation / babyboom
• no future /feminist generation
• computer generation / X
• nintendo generation
• generation einstein
• generation YIntergenerational work

• Born between 1920 -1930
• Born between 1930 -1940
• Born between 1940 -1950
• Born between 1950-1960
• Born between 1960-1970
• Born between 1970 -1980
• Born between 1980 -1990
• Born between 1990-2000Dia 3

3

• Who is married or living together with a partner?
• Who has children?
• Who has been divorced once or more?
• Who has still parents alive?
• Who speaks more than three languages?
• Who has once lived a life without refrigerator?
• Who still knows where (s)he was when John F.
  Kennedy has been murdered?
• Who remembers the invasion of Russian troops in
  the Czechoslowakija?
• Who remembers the year of the Chernobyl disaster?
• Who remembers Dynasty?
• Who knows CSI?Welcome again

4
Intergenerational work

• What is intergenerational work?
• Policy relevance
• Identifying and developing intergenerational
  projects
• The process of intergnerational learning

5
Generations
Generations limited in time and space Mostly a
cohort, born in a certain decade Sharing a
certain history, certain life circumstances, lifes
tyles (fashion, music), feelings and
ideals Distincted differences with the earlier
and the following generationGeneration specific
learning crystalized intelligence
6
Age pyramid
7
What does it mean, being absolutely modern,
when you are not so young anymore when your
daughter is complete different from what you have
been in younger days?
8
It is a hard when youngsters leave the
villagepeople disappearand history fades away
9
The babyboom generation (1940-1950) is dominating
the direction of the transformation from the
family based traditional three-generation-society
into the modern more-generation society
This transformation is nowadays basicly
characterised by neglecting ageing and staying
young and vital forever

• The babyboomers old protest, broken dreams,
• new resistance, fear for revenge?

10
Trio exercise
Task

• Discuss the implications of more generations
  together in your own life?
• What do you think about it?

11
Policy relevance

• Solidarity generations have to share the world /
  who is paying for who?
  
• Our societies will have to make better use of the
  potential of all generations and to provide
  chances to develop their full potential
• Opportunities, acces and solidarity for all
  generations (Slovenian Presidency Conference,
  Brdo, 2008)

12
Intergenerational projects typology

• Older adults serving children or youth
• Children and youth serving older adults
• Children or youth and older adults serving others
• Including more than two generations
• Crossgenerational instead of intergenerational

13
To discuss
Task

• What are good reasons to start a
  intergenerational learning project in a concrete
  situation?
• What could be good subjects for intergenerational
  projects?
• Which generations should be involved?
• Can you identify the benefits for each of those
  generations?
• Do you think they will identify these benefits in
  themselves?
• Conclusions

14
The Lifecourse Approach
15
Changing life patterns
Life long Life wide
End of the three boxes of life
16
Life stages
17
Milestones in life course
18
Changing life stairs
19
HAPPINESS IS DANGEROUS
Rutger Kopland
20
Find a solution - create a intergenerational
project
Task

• A square where teenagers are hanging around
  sometimes using drugs nad making noise
• Many polluting traffic during the day around the
  square - near the square a day care centre
  where young mothers bring their children before
  going to work
• Around the square live many older people who
  want to do shopping, work in the garden and
  sitting in the sum
• Sometimes they feel threatened by the young
  criminals
• Once a retired policy officer throw them away
  from the square using his pistol
• Afterward his garden was ruined

21
Coping with changes - patterns of transition
Transition completed
Euphoria
Searching
Shock
Gradualacceptance
Anger
Guilt
Depresion or selfdoubt
22
To discuss
Task

• How to motivate different generations?
• How to facilitate exchanges?
• What is the process of intergenerational
  learning?
• How to play with life courses?
• How to use creative and provocative methods?
• How to create win-win situations?

23
Reflexive biographies
The faster changes take place, the more
reflection people need, but often there is no
time for any reflection
24
Truth
The story never tells the truth It always tells
the truth as it is told
25
Degeneration of memory
Memory as support???
The memory is not telling the truth You cannot
trust your memory The memory is not longer
necessary If the disk is full, it will fade away
itself

!
26
Techniques

• Reminiscence
• Storytelling
• Theatre - dance
• Community development
• Conflict solving and mediation
• Biographical writing
• Movie making
• Exhibitions

27
Modern paradox
The youth has the future, but.. Time is not at
their side
28
Modern paradox (2)
In the fastening process of our modern
society people are much younger called oldies 50
, even 40
29
Modern paradox (3)
Simultaneously we see older adults behave
themselves more and more as young as possible
And nobody want to be called old
30
40 in 1924/1994
31
Intergenerational learning

• To enhance intergenerational relationships
• Mutual mentorship and support
• Competence development
• Experiential learning
• Knowledge transfer

32
The Kolb learning cycle
1. Engagement in a practical authentic activity
4. Applying new understanding to new situations
2. Critical reflection on experience
3. Testing reaction observations against other
perspectives theory
33
Working life 2030

• Born between 1950 -1960
• Born between 1960-1970
• Born between 1970-1980
• Born between 1980 -1990
• Born between 1990 -2000
• Born 2000 or later

• give the floor to others while keeping themselves
  involved
• still (partime) working - avoiding health
  problems
• seniority and leadership roles avoiding burn
  outs exploring new competencies and
  opportunities
• avoiding choices and struggling with daily
  routine
• transform emotional instability and refind
  contact with the elderly - challenge to become
  linking pin between generations when they succeed
  to recognise the power of older generations and
  to be able to create challenge for teamwork out
  of daily choices
• getting the new innovators when they are able to
  value older solutions as well.

34
You are never too old to learn

• But before you know
• it is too late to learn

35
Change the perspective
You are never too old to learn ..
36
The End
Use it or loose it ..