We do hope that you will find our toolkit useful. We would love you to Contact Us especially if you find that it has helped you either to set up a new intergenerational programme or to develop an existing one.
In September 2020 Mrs Tanya Morris, Headteacher, St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Burnham told us
The Intergenerational Project is firmly embedded in our School Curriculum. The benefits to the pupils are evident. The pupils obviously enjoy the time that they spend with the residents at Perry House and we know there is a decrease in stereotypes. The children leave our school confident in their ability to communicate with the older generation.
We are extremely excited to be part of this new website and we hope that other schools will use this toolkit and reap the benefits that we have found ourselves
In September 2020 Judith Ish-Horowicz, MBE, Co- Founder and Director
of Apples and Honey, the UK’s first inter-generational nursery, wrote:
I think your toolkit is excellent……… It’s a real hands on kit that supports any would be intergenerational practitioners through every stage of planning and delivering a safe, creative and meaningful programme.
Because the toolkit is so tried and tested, you have been able to pre-empt the many problems that practitioners who are new to intergenerational programmes are likely to make and to guide them gently into strong reflective practices.
The examples are empowering without being prescriptive as they open up possibilities for the programmes to be adapted to suit different settings and different age groups.
The framework of planning, setup, delivery and evaluation is clearly described and the many templates are also very enabling. They remove the barriers of anxiety that prevent so many people from even embarking on introducing intergenerational programmes to their settings.
Michelle Williams, Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator (South), The Guinness Partnership
shared the following feedback in 2024
In 2023 residents in Swindon were asked what they had enjoyed the most and unanimously agreed “everything!”
Staff loved taking part too. “We’ve enjoyed learning about the various topics as much as the residents and children. The project brought so much laughter and energy, it’s been the highlight of the week.”
And here are some of the things that children in Devon said they would remember about their visits to residents at a nearby independent living scheme in the summer term 2024:
“….. the people were very humorous and kind.” , “It was a lovely experience where it was like we made new family members.”
, “…the joyous chuckles in the room as a result of all the jokes”
The children were also asked about the words or pictures that come to mind when they hear the words “older people.” Here are some of their replies:
“joyful, enjoying life, kind” , “wise, experienced, caring” , “funny, wise, generous” , “laughter, fun, kindness”
