The social implicationd of this program are simple. An intergenerational apporach encourages people to interact across generations in a way that they may not otherwise. Majority of our interaction with those outside of our generation is with family members such as grandparents; however, developing intergenerational programs allows generations to interact outside of the family unit creating a more unified community. Grassroots communitity movements that involve all ages will likley be more successfull because all steakholders are given a voice and and are more invested in their community.
There is also a budgeting implication for communities that implement this initiative. In example, creating walkable comunities that accomodate bikes, scooters and wheelchairs will create a more active and vibrant community. In our society it is common for elderly adults to move in with their children, so why don't we build houses with ramps and handrails initially rather than having to remodel when eldlery are moving in. In addition, Communties for All Ages communities ensure that all age ranges from childern to elderly are involved in town hall meetings, sit on advisory boards or are a members of the city council. In the long run this may save money because decsions about youth and eldelrly services are not simply made for these age groups, but with these age groups.
If you would like more information on the Communities for All Ages initiative their webiste has a ton of fantastic information! (www.communitiesforallages.org). It also provides pictures and information on Communities For All Ages sites ten of which are right here in the state of Arizona. Although the initial idea for the iniative came out of Temple Universities Center for Intergenerational Learning, thanks to funding from the Arizona Community Foundation this initiative was truly brought to life right here in our state and has now spread nationally. Suppooring this initiative is simple, thik about how your orginizations can increase sustainability by taking an intergenerational approach to their programs and services.
I think this is a great initiative. There is certainly a need for multigenerational interaction.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting program-how successful has it been so far? And far into the implementation process are cities who have adopted this initiative?
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ReplyDeleteThis is a question I have heard asked by those who have been working on the initiative for a long time. It is interesting because Communities for All Ages is essentially asking people to change their way of thinking in their organizations. It seems that many organizations that have joined the initiative have simply altered their operations to include all generations. Due to the open ended nature of this initiative there is currently no formal measurement tool in place, but from what I understand CFAA organizations are finding that taking an intergenerational approach has made their organizations stronger in many ways.
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