Intergenerational Program Database

The Tri-Lakes Senior Citizen Center is located on the grounds of Lewis-Palmer High School, at 1300 Higby Road. D-38 works in partnership with the center to encourage multigenerational educational opportunities. Keyword: Shared Site

The mission of GrandFriends is to unite two very important segments of our community, our elders and our youth – the wisdom and experiences of our past and the creativity and energy of our future – to improve the academic achievement of our young people. GrandFriends are an integral part of the educational team preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s world. Our retired and senior citizens with their multiple and valuable skills serve as talented mentors to our students. The students benefit not only from the sharing of these skills but also from the relationships they develop with the GrandFriends. Teachers continually praise the addition of GrandFriends to their classrooms. By creating an opportunity for interaction between senior and student, the child is helped, the older citizen feels useful and the community as a whole benefits through students who are better prepared for life’s work and to make positive contributions to society.

Bessie's Hope youth and elders program matches schools and other youth groups with nursing home and assisted living residents. This is a mutually beneficial program where the youth gain self esteem, respect for others, life skills and academic skills. The elders receive companionship, intellectual stimulation and the chance to feel useful.

Professional writers teach high school students how to interview and write 3-4,000 word memoirs of over 55 members of the community ("Memoir Stars"). Mentors meets with students to revise drafts, The club publishes the memoirs and awards scholarships to the top four as determined by judges. Students go on to college as published writers. Let It Be Recorded and All Our Yesterdays are available for sale on Amazon.com. Keyword: Shared Site

Volunteers tutoring elementary school children in reading, 1-2 times a week.

GAP offers a wealth of programs that include direct services, information dissemination, and referrals and linkages to support kinship families. GAP’s direct services focus on four main areas: 1) Mental Health Services, 2) Safety-Net Services, 3) Education and Child-Focused Advocacy, and 4) Navigation. These programs give kinship families access to emergency funds, food and clothing, emotional support, counseling, mentoring, and tools to work with schools and government agencies. Also included are peer engagement opportunities, nutritional assistance with CalFresh screening and enrollment, and a warm-line for immediate referrals. In 2009, GAP established a partnership with the Child Welfare Initiative, Children’s Law Center and Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park to create the Caregiver Center, which provides navigation assistance, support, and referrals for all kinship families involved with the court and child welfare system through Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). In addition, GAP provides advocacy on behalf of families with DCFS and other county agencies, schools, doctors, and courts. GAP works with partner agencies to link kinship families with available resources to meet immediate and basic needs. All services are offered free-of-charge.

The Intergenerational Writing Project with Turning Point School takes place over three months, with our writing and discussion groups meeting weekly at either the Senior Center or the School. Each group is around 6 students, 2 seniors & one teacher and discussions range from current events to travels and philosophy. Poems, short stories and more are written and shared by all members of the group. The is a unifying theme or project each year for the project, which will be in its 8th year in 2017. The 6th graders call the project “amazing” “fun” and “so cool,” while the senior participants are grateful for “unforgettable” memories from the sessions.

Active older adults (age 50+) are teamed with youth (typically elementary-school age) for a half-day of fun educational and physical activities. The mission of the Games is to increase mutual understanding and respect between generations and to promote healthy, active, life-long behaviors. Intergenerational Games events occur in several locations throughout the county.

Low-income seniors mentoring children in schools, focusing on those with special or exceptional needs.

In the Five & Fit program, which is based on a model from Temple University, older adults (age 55+) guide young pre-schoolers (ages 2 - 5) and their families toward improved nutrition and enhanced physical activity. Activities include gardening, tasting fruits and vegetables, and fun nutritional education. The mission of the program is to prevent childhood obesity and to promote healthy, active, life-long behaviors. The program is a collaboration between Aging & Independence Services (the County of San Diego's Area Agency on Aging) and the Cuyamaca College Child Development Center.