Have you looked into the "Interlink" program offered by the Canadian Mental
Health Association, Ontario Division?  An intergenerational program
involving pen pals, visiting between children and seniors and a joint
choir.  A great program!
At 11:08 AM 26-10-00 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello all,
>A question on who might be doing innovative work on the issue of
>intergenerational programming.  We have had two programs operating for a
>year on a pilot basis in local elementary schools - one Francophone and
>one Anglophone.
>
>The Francophone program involved five seniors working as volunteers with a
>Grade 4 class.  There was a lot of emphasis on passing along French
>Canadian traditions and helping the students to become more proud of their
>culture, and more aware of the struggles of Franco-Ontarians to maintain
>that culture.  The project was very interesting, but extremely time
>intensive on the part of staff, the teacher and the seniors.  Although we
>could not maintain it in the form we originally developed, we are
>continuing it on a smaller scale.
>
>On the Anglo side, the project is more modest, taking the model of
>"Knitting Generations Together", sponsored by one of the provincial
>seniors groups.  In this, senior volunteers have been coming to the school
>once per week at lunchtime to teach interested students how to knit.  The
>program has proven to be very popular.
>
>In both of these initiatives we want to help develop contacts across the
>generations.  We also see a huge potential to get seniors more involved in
>volunteering in the schools, where there is a HUGE need.
>
>I would be interested in the experience and ideas of others in this area,
>particularly those who have had successful experiences (or unsuccessful
>ones) at getting seniors involved in the schools.
>
>Thanks,
>Ken Hoffman


____________________________________________________________
Elizabeth Hendren-Roberge, Program Consultant
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
North Bay Community Health and Education Office
Suite 101, 60 Champlain Street, P1B 7M4
705-472-3850 phone
705-472-8397 fax