Intergenerational Program Database

Music therapy is utilized to further enhance the lives of residents by fostering meaningful relationships with the youth in the community. Group members write songs, make music, play games and create artwork together.

A community based program based on a simple, age-old process - people learning from one another through the oral tradition. Over the past two years, Saturday Light Brigade convened groups of African American male students in Homewood, Hazelwood and the Hill District (Summer 2012) and McKeesport, Northside and Hilltop (Summer 2013). While learning about digital audio recording, each group also spent time discussing attributes of male role models and identifying African American men with a connection to their community that could be interviewed. With support as needed, students then arranged, conducted and edited these interviews. The results were published in Homewood Voices, Hazelwood Voices, Hill District Voices, McKeesport Voices, Northside Voices and Hilltop Voices, each a full-color book (with CD) with 1,000 copies distributed throughout the community. Community celebrations were held in each community as well as at the August Wilson Center which time StoryBox units were presented and installed to allow the general public to hear interviews and student reflections.

You can change a life by providing the individual attention that helps children build confidence and success. Opportunities are available in the Pittsburgh Public and Woodland Hills school districts and 18 other U. S. cities. OASIS volunteer tutors are paired with children in grades K-3 who would benefit from a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Tutors are trained to work with kids using a proven approach to literacy that emphasizes reading, talking and writing. They meet with their students at least once a week throughout the school year, providing a caring, supportive environment where reading and language activities, keyed to the child’s interests, spark curiosity and learning.

Foxdale Village, a Quaker-directed continuing care retirement community, is located on the property adjacent to the Friends School. This close proximity has made possible many intergenerational activities in both communities. Foxdale residents participate at the school by tutoring in math and reading, doing library work, and attending the weekly Meeting for Worship. The school has utilized Foxdale's auditorium for school play productions and has entertained residents with School Peace Choir performances and Halloween parades.

While they do not have formal programs, young visitors are encouraged to visit the library's children's book section, the turtle pond, and the mother/calf pairs at the farm, as well as pick apples and pumpkins at the farm market

Our curriculum includes an intergenerational program with “grandfriends” from the residential community, which combines their talents and life skills in daily and special events

Generations on Line is dedicated to enhancing communication among generations by promoting Internet access and literacy to elders. Generation to generation is an intergenerational oral history on the PC training program. After school classes of 9 and 10-year old students, under a teacher's supervision ask questions about the past, in four categories: Origins and History; Inventions and Transportation; Sports and Entertainment; and "When you were my age." The responses by seniors are manually filtered each day; the teacher guidelines and categories are based on Fourth grade studies. The children involved with the program to date have been enormously interested. They are guided by a well developed curriculum to first think about older people, discuss their impressions, perceptions, and biases.

The organization upgraded the entire building with WI Fi, resident computers and IPads. The IPAD -ICAN program was initiated by a contribution from a family member to enhance the technology within the organization for residents, family members, visitors, volunteers and activities. The kids from the Day Care Center and other younger volunteers have been teaching residents the use of the IPads -and the use of communication applications - connecting with Family.

The Legacy Project addresses multiple emerging issues that are impacting the Cambodian refugee community. These issues include major health and language disparities among the elders and the education disparities among the youth. The core goal of the program is to bridge the generation gap between refugee Elders and Cambodian-American high school aged youth. Elders share personal photos before, during, and after the war. Youth will hear first-hand accounts of the genocide, life in refugee camps, and the resettlement into inner-city Philadelphia. Youth share their own family photos to continue the story and share struggles youth face today with the elders. Both groups share their war stories and learn about each other’s needs. Past events have included an advocacy trip to Washington DC, the creation of a photo-story exhibition and creation of a cookbook.