Grassroots organizations have a critical role in supporting learning within many urban communities (Sobeck, Agius, & Mayers, 2007). Unfortunately, many informal organizations are short-lived as funding disappears and volunteer participation wanes. The Unspun Heroes, an informal fibre arts group committed to learning and developing skills…

Title I schools that serve a large population of low-income students often view families through the lens of an outdated paradigm of family engagement in education, assuming parents are mostly uneducated, ill informed, and much in need of training and support to be good parents. "Comunitario" projects in the Rio Grande Valley of south…

The Experience Corps[R], a community-based intergenerational program, was developed to promote the health of older adults while simultaneously addressing unmet social and academic needs in public elementary schools. The model was designed to draw on, and potentially activate, the wisdom of older adults. This paper explores the nature of…

For many grandchildren their grandparents are "special" people, and the time they spend together often generates memorable experiences and conversations that are educational. Yet society underestimates the impact that grandparents have as mentors and role models for children. Through spontaneous, shared activities grandparents support the science…

Responses from 59 of 80 undergraduate gerontology students participating in the Elder Mentor Relationship program revealed that, despite initial apprehension, most students found it rewarding. It increased their understanding about aging, fostered respect and admiration, and contributed to personal growth. (SK)

There are a number of compelling reasons that justify attention to and implementation of non-familial adult participation in the lives of youth, through mentoring and intergenerational activities and programs. This article describes the rationale for activities that connect youth and older non-familial adults together in meaningful and productive…

This document contains six papers exploring contemporary issues in mentoring. "The Practice, Quality, and Cost of Mentoring" (Jean Baldwin Grossman) provides an introduction to and overview of the remaining five papers. "Mentoring Adolescents: What Have We Learned?" (Cynthia L. Sipe) reviews the literature on mentoring, discusses key elements in…

The potential interface between human development theories and intergenerational programing is explored. Erik Erikson's division of adult development into young, middle, and later adulthood, and Butler and Lewis'"characteristics of older people," are considered. Older people can offer help and encouragement to youth while themselves…

As part of a 4-year research initiative on adult/youth relationships programs, this study assessed relationships between elders and at-risk youth at the following four Linking Lifetimes intergenerational mentoring demonstration sites developed by Temple University's Center for Intergenerational Learning in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania): (1)…

This guide, which is intended as a primer for program coordinators responsible for managing and implementing mentor programs, explains what content should be included in mentoring programs and how that content should be organized to maintain volunteers' interest in mentoring. Discussed in section 1 are the following topics: job description for…

This guide offers guidance for mentoring programs and relationships serving gifted and/or talented students from multicultural and/or disadvantaged environments. After an introductory chapter which defines the mentor concept, Chapter 2 considers the mentoring relationship, racial/cultural differences, characteristics of economically disadvantaged…

This study examines the relationships developed between elder mentors and at-risk youth in the following exemplary intergenerational programs: (1) IUE/The Work Connection (Saugus, Massachusetts); (2) Teen Moms (Portland, Maine); (3) School Volunteers for Boston (Massachusetts); (4) Teenage Parent Alternative Program (Lincoln Park, Michigan); and…