Model
Programs
Model Programs for the
old and the young to come together, share their experiences, jokes,
values and virtues of life........
Day
Care
The following programs describe young children visiting an adult
day-care center or older adults visiting a child-care center,
or a combined adult-child day-care facility.
- Rainbow¹s End Preschool in Carbondale brings children
and senior citizens together in three ways. First, the children
visit the seniors' day-care center facility each Tuesday at
10 a.m. There, the seniors and children participate in activities
planned jointly by the staffs of both programs. Second, the
active seniors visit the children once a month. These visits
center around special themes such as a Mexican fiesta or circus.
Third, the children regularly make tray decorations for those
seniors who are served in their homes by the Meals on Wheels
program.
- The Child Care Center at Oakton Community College was instituted
several years ago by Helene Block, a pioneer in intergenerational
programming. She involves older adults in the preparation of
child care workers and preschool children. The program brings
senior citizens to class several times each week to participate
in a wide variety of activities with the children.
- The Child Care Center at Northeastern University in Chicago
involves senior citizens who read stories to preschool children
and assist in other classroom activities. One morning a week
seniors recruited from the local community read, play games,
and indulge in other tiny-tot pursuits with a captivated audience
of youngsters at the center. The purpose of the project, in
addition to linking old and young, is to conduct a pilot research
study measuring what changes, if any, occur in the perceptions
of the parent, the children, the seniors, and staff of the Center,
regarding interest in reading and other measures of satisfaction.
Bubbles and Babies is a program that targets young mothers and
their babies. They take their infants once a week to the Council
for Jewish Elderly Group Living facilities to interact with
the oldest elderly. This multigenerational program helps babies,
whose own grandparents often are not living in the area; the
children benefit from the extra attention and stimulation the
elderly provide; the elderly share their parenting experience
and reminisce about their years as a Mom or Dad as they act
as advisors or good listeners.
- Sheridan Intergenerational Day Care, is a community-based
program consisting of three components: child day care, nursery
preschool, and adult day care. The child programs are in place,
licensed and developing. The adult program is in its planning
stages and is expected to be implemented this year.
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Advocacy
Generations Exchange is a committee of teachers,
senior citizens, senior-center directors, and community representatives
who meet regularly to implement interaction between generations.
The program targets kindergarten through eighth graders in the
Palatine C.C. School District 15.
The Surrogate Parent Program, Illinois Youth Center
at St. Charles, promotes educational advocates for parents unwilling
or unavailable to participate in the special-education process.
Surrogate parents read educational files, meet with students,
observe students in the classroom, and help determine the best
educational program for the student while incarcerated. John
Kotaska commented, ³Experience has shown that older volunteers
and juvenile delinquents work well together.² Through the
Guardianship Program, at the Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale Legal Clinic, individuals 18 and older can be appointed
by the court to be guardians for aged disabled adults.
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Special Events
- A Grandparents' Day and a Senior Citizens' Day are common
yearly events. Grandparents go to the school for lunch, attend
classes, and the students prepare a performance for them. Grandparents'
Day can be an excellent opportunity for recruiting and involving
older adults in education.
- Proms or dances for old and young are becoming more and more
common. The use of the arts--singing, dancing, theatre--recognizes
a common culture.
- Volunteer Fairs are held in many communities throughout the
State. One example is the fair held annually in Decatur. The
schools demonstrate different programs available for volunteer
opportunities, and people of all ages can choose a way to serve.
- Thanksgiving or holiday meals are often held in schools, so
that the students can experience the traditional sharing of
holiday time.
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Library
Programs
Share the Magic is a Pekin Public Library program that provides
a special love of sharing for grandparents and grandchildren.
The children and older adults visit the library and have their
picture taken together. The child¹s handprints and a special
wish (what they would like to do with their grandparent or older
friend) are recorded in a booklet. Then they share entertainment
and refreshments. They have their special booklets as a keepsake
to remember the time together at the library.
The Normal Public Library sponsors story hour for young children
at a local nursing home.
Senior volunteer librarians at Maryville Elementary School
talk with young people and encourage students to read and use
the library properly. The volunteers commit a day a week to
working in the school library. They organize and sort materials
and work with the children and teacher when library
time arrives.
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Reading and Literacy
In Arthur, students in School District 305 invite grandparents
to Grandparents¹ Oral Reading Day. Students and grandparents
or surrogate grandparents participate in a variety of reading
activities. Another program at Arthur gives the students an
opportunity to contact nursing home residents. Telephone Buddies
is an imaginative program centered on weekly phone calls instigated
by the students
Older volunteers with the Service Corps of Retired Executives
(SCORE) assist as literacy tutors at Joliet Community College.
The Literacy Program through the Secretary of State¹s
office provides tutoring for young adults, middle-aged adults,
and older adults. The tutors, often from a different generation,
are trained to help students learn to read. The literacy program
reaches all corners of Illinois.
The Family Literacy Program at Kishwaukee College is a cooperative
effort designed to improve the parent's understanding and stress
the importance of pre-kindergarten skills development of the
child. Older adults serve as tutors for young parents and children.
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Oral History, Interviewing, Storytelling
- Through the Council for Jewish Elderly, a group of middle-school
students spend time with elderly residents of an apartment building
on Chicago¹s north side. Their project includes writing
oral histories of the residents and then together developing
a mural depicting the lives of the residents.
- The Coles County RSVP participants visit the junior high-school
social studies classes. They are interviewed regarding the Great
Depression and World War II. Papers are written to summarize
the interviews.
- College students interview older adults as part of a health-education
class at Illinois State University.
- The Natural Story Teller at the College of DuPage brings adults
and children together to teach basic storytelling skills, dramatic
invention and readers' theatre.
- Brimfield High School students interview senior citizens for
a documentary, which is produced in conjunction with a banquet
for older community residents.
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