INTERAGES

 Programs / Program Benefits & Outcomes / Testimonials / Program Report 06-07

INTERAGES bridges the intergenerational gap in Montgomery County, Maryland and is a leader in the intergenerational movement regionally and nationally.

• providing after school opportunities for senior volunteers to offer mentoring, skills-building "coaching" and tutorial support, particularly aimed at the development of English language skills in immigrant children in the ESOL program and who live in communities where there are particularly high concentrations of impoverished and immigrant families;
• developing relationships between students in grades K-12 and frail elders by designing joint activities in assisted living facilities and adult day care sites;
• pairing at-risk youth with vulnerable seniors in a program designed to raise the self-esteem of both populations;
• providing training and technical assistance to individuals and organizations interested in developing intergenerational activities and programs locally, regionally and nationally; and,
• operating the Montgomery County Intergenerational Resource Center to encourage and facilitate the development of other intergenerational programs based on the successful models it has created;

Long-term, it is anticipated that the above programs, services and activities of Interages will continue to provide the community benefits and overall quality of life changes that will result from intergenerational interactions. Young people benefit from exposure to positive adult role models and from the knowledge and experience that their elders have to offer. Other significant benefits to the young include:

• helping to dispel myths and fears about aging;
• helping them to prepare for adjustments that they will have to make in their own aging process;
• providing them with access to the resources, skills and experiences of the elderly;
• allowing them to receive support for specific problems, particularly those young who have been identified as "at-risk"; and
• offering an opportunity for them to learn compassion and participate in service learning.

Senior citizens can likewise benefit from intergenerational interaction. Involvement with young people can help seniors stay active, ensure that they stay more connected to the community, and enable them to live a more productive and happier life. Other benefits to seniors include:

• enabling the development of new relationships that may help compensate for the recent loss of an enduring tie such as a spouse, sibling, or friend;
• strengthening self-esteem and mental health; and
• providing increased personal fulfillment by involvement in meaningful roles .

Intergenerational programming also benefits the community-at-large by:

• erasing stereotypes that keep these age groups separate;
• strengthening their informal support systems;
• allowing for identification of common concerns;
• utilizing and recognizing the talents of citizens of all ages; and
• allowing active involvement between the ages in understanding and problem solving the issues of current events.

Interages will evaluate itself based on the following three questions:

1. Did Interages achieve its mission through its service delivery as described?
2. Did Interages deliver the programs and activities described?
3. Did the majority of the constituents of Interages evaluate the programs and/or activities in a positive manner?
4. Was Interages successful in promoting a better quality of life and deeper understanding between the ages through intergenerational activities in Montgomery County?

The stakeholders will be involved in the evaluation process in the following way:

1. An Evaluation Form for each program to be completed by the senior volunteers and children/youth participants at the end of each program.
2. Selected seniors and children/youth will be interviewed for anecdotal evaluation.
3. An Evaluation Form for each program to be completed by the teachers and administrators of the senior citizen centers and schools involved.