Intergenerational learning

Larnaka 2010

Welcome again

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 -2000

• crisis generation• war II generation• rebuilding generation• protest generation / babyboom• futureless generation• computer generation / X• nintendo generation• generation einstein• generation W

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 still knows where (s)he was when John F.

Kennedy has been murdered? Who remembers the invasion of Russian troops

in the Chech Slowakija?Who remembers the coup against Allende?Who remembers Dynasty?Who has once lived a life without refrigerator?

Intergenerational work

What is intergenerational work? Policy relevanceIdentifying and developing

intergenerational projectsThe process of intergnerational

learning

Generations

Generations: limited in time and space

Mostly a cohort, born in a certain decade

Sharing a certain history, certain life circumstances,lifestyles (fashion, music), feelings and ideals

Generation specific learning; chrystalized intelligence

Age pyramid

Odyssee: with an eye on change

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?

Odyssee: with an eye on change

It is a hard when youngsters leave the

village:people disappear

and history fades away

Odyssee: with an eye on change

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

This transformation is nowadays

basicly characterised by

neglecting ageing

and staying young and vital forever

What have they learned?

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

Trio exercise

Discuss the implications of more generations together in your own life?

What do you think about it?

Policy relevance

Solidarity: are the old living at the expense of the young or the young at the expense of the old?

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)

Intergenerational projects typology

Older adults serving children or youthChildren and syouth serving older

adultsChildren or youth and older adults

serving othersIncluding more than two generationsCrossgenerational instead of

intergenerational

To discussWhat 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

The Lifecourse Approach

Changing life patterns

learn work leisure

young adult old

Life long

End of the three boxes of life

Life stages

Milestones in life course

Changing life stairs

HAPPINESS IS DANGEROUS

Rutger Kopland

Create a intergenerational project

A square where teenagers are hanging around –sometimes using drugs – many polluting traffic during the day - near the square day care centre where young mothers bring their children – older people who want to do shopping, work in the garden and sitting in the sum – threatened by young criminals

Coping with changes - Patterns of transition

Shock

EuphoriaSearching

Anger

Guilt

Depresion or selfdoubt

Gradualacceptance

Transition completed

Reflexive biographies

The faster changes take place,

the more reflection people need,

but often there is no time

for any reflection

Truth

The story never tells the truth

It always tells the truth as it is told

Degeneration of memory

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

Memory as support???

Techniques

ReminiscenceStorytellingTheatre - danceCommunity

developmentConflict solving and

mediationBiographical writingMovie makingExhibitions

Intergenerational learning

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 creatye win-win situations?

Modern paradox

The youth has the future,

but…..

Time is not at their side

Modern paradox (2)

In the fastening process ofour modern societypeople are much youngercalled oldies: 50 +, even 40+

Modern paradox (3)

Simultaneously we see

older adults

behave themselves

more and more

as young as possible

And nobody want to be called old

40+ in 1924/1994

Intergenerational learning

To enhance intergenerational relationships

Mutual mentorship and supportCompetence developmentExperiential learning Knowledge transfer

The Kolb learning cycle1. Engagement in a practical

authentic activity

2. Critical reflection

on experience

3. Testing reaction & observations against other perspectives & theory

4. Applying new understanding to

new situations

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.

You are never too old to learn

But before you know …it is too late to learn

Change the perspective

You are never too old to learn …..

The End

Use it or loose it …..