In an experimental evaluation of a "friendly visitor" type of program in which adolescents visited senior citizens, it was found that general attitudes toward elderly people improved following weekly contact with specific elderly persons. Two outcomes of these programs were found: the provision of service to the elderly and the change of negative…

Explains intergenerational literacy, and provides responses from two educators who offer their perspectives and suggestions on intergenerational literacy programs. (MG)

Intergenerational programs bring older volunteers into classrooms to share skills and experiences with students. Program development has seven steps: needs assessment, job description, recruitment, screening, orientation and training, recognition, and evaluation. (SK)

U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum has become the leading Republican advocate for education. She shares AASA's support for the Head Start program, but is skeptical about financing a federal day care program. She also supports latchkey, intergenerational, and vocational/technical programs, and favors community volunteering over a national youth service…

At the community level, literacy improvement can no longer be the mission of a single organization. Successful literacy intervention is a family goal. Many are intrigued with the common sense of the new collaborative literacy programs and hope that they will succeed in breaking the intergenerational cycle of low literacy. (Author/JOW)

Participants in an intergenerational school volunteer program (26 adults over 60) completed memory instruments at 3 time periods. The effect of program participating on actual and perceived memory function varied with age and educational level. Dramatic positive mood changes were noted for those over 70 and those who were college educated. (SK)

Evaluated intergenerational program bringing together older people and adolescents to examine assumptions underlying such programing and to determine attitude changes among participants. Only attitude change observed was in adolescents who helped older people showing more enjoyment in being with older people, decreased social distance, and more…

An 8-week intergenerational program matched 19 African-American teenagers with 19 elderly persons. Compared to a 20-teen control group, participating youth had significantly changed attitudes toward the elderly and aging. Older adults also had positive attitudes toward youth. (SK)

A suburban Cook County (Illinois) school district has tapped an invaluable community resource--senior citizens--for two generations' mutual enrichment. Senior Exchange gives residents over 54 a chance to help schools while earning money to pay the portion of their property tax bill supporting schools. Other intergenerational exchanges include…

The Teens Teaching Internet Skills Pilot Project engaged youth from 4-H Technology Teams in training senior citizens to obtain information from the Medicare website. The teens perceived an improvement in working with seniors, project management, teaching, public speaking, and leadership. The workshops had a positive effect on seniors' comfort and…

The Public Policy Institute, a 3-day civic engagement conference, involved youth and adults learning together as peers. Obersvations and intreviews revealed learning style differences, lack of experience inhibiting youth partipicaiton, and some adult insensitivity to the presence of youth. Replacing lectures with experiential small-group learning,…

Describes an example of intergenerational theatre--the annual production at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre, Ferrum College, Virginia. Notes that in addition to four plays for adults, one play is for family audiences and includes area children. Suggests the program offers patrons quality entertainment, gives unique experience to area children, and…

German adolescents and Jewish adults (who returned to Hamburg after 60 years absence) met to discuss the elders' childhood memories and adolescents' current life experiences. The intergenerational interaction, placed in historical perspective, significantly promoted better understanding. (SK)

What began as a case study of intergenerational initiatives in university-based early childhood programs evolved into a comparative study of two different program implementation processes. Despite operating with the same goals, university partners, and resources, two early childhood centers pursued fundamentally different strategies for launching…

Meeting the diverse needs of young people who are coping with such problems as delinquent behaviors or poor academic performance is an urgent issue today. This paper aims to demonstrate the benefits of introducing intergenerational mentoring activities into educational programs for supporting "at risk" adolescents by highlighting some innovative…