MISSION
The mission of Interages is to build bridges across generations and cultures. Interages enriches the community by its dedication to developing interactive, intergenerational programs that are mutually beneficial to adults (age 50+) and children. The staff at INTERAGES is committed to identifying the needs of students and senior adults in the community and developing programs to meet those needs.
Interages recognizes the existing needs of academically challenged students to include language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), self-esteem and acculturation. In addition, Interages recognizes the needs of seniors in subsidized housing, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and day care centers who were dealing with problems of isolation and loneliness. The following programs were developed to address those needs.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
INTERGENERATIONAL BRIDGES – is a mentoring program that pairs newly arrived immigrant children in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programs with supportive older adult mentors to assist with the transition to US culture, language acquisition, and personal development.
DIALOGUES ACROSS THE AGES –presents opportunities for older adults and high school students to dispel stereotypes that each generation may feel about the other. When young and old realize that they share common concerns, the two generations begin their journey of weekly dialogues to discuss news events, social and political issues.
GLOBAL WIZARDS – is an after school academic enrichment program for second, third or fourth graders on an adventure around the world. It shows them how to use maps, what is meant by "Western hemisphere" Global Wizards uses puzzles, games and special maps to teach gerographic ideas and facts. To learn about the millions of plants and animals in tropical rain forests, Wizards uses a world search to help children learn of the many resources that come from the region.
GRANDREADERS – is a literacy program for children in second grade. The program is designed to increase a child's ability to read, enhance reading skills and encourage a love of reading, all facilitated by caring and nurturing older adult volunteers. .
PROJECT SHARE – enriches the lives of health-impaired seniors in adult day care centers and assisted living facilities by linking them with children from pre-school through high school in a number of interactive ways. Project SHARE focuses on what people can do rather than on their limitations. The unique aspect of Project SHARE is that all activities require involvement by senior participants. Interages’ Makeover Madness program matches older adult “clients” with cosmetology students at Thomas Edison School of Technology once a month during the school year.
POLICIES FOR VOLUNTEERS
Eligibility requirements:
- 50 or older
- Able to provide own transportation
- Complete application and attest to no prior criminal record
- Agree to be fingerprinted for a criminal background check
- Attend two meetings (one orientation and one in-service meeting)
- Have a genuine interest in students and listen to the students without being judgmental.
INTERAGES WOULD LIKE VOLUNTEERS TO KNOW THAT:
- Experience is not necessary
- The Program Coordinator or Volunteer Program Coordinator is present at each session and prepares activities for each session.
- You will work with one or two children in a group setting.
- To facilitate conversation with your student you could share your background, experiences and some family history.
- Program sessions are usually 1 -1 1/2 hours in length.
- Visiting with your student in his/her home is not expected or required of any volunteer.
- A permission form must be submitted to parents for any activity that is not on the school premises.
- All programs are held in a group setting with other volunteers, Interages staff and possibly school staff.
- Some programs meet once a week for the entire school year, or once a week for 7-8 weeks.
- Volunteers may not spend time alone with their student until the results of the fingerprints are received by Interages. (The results of the background checks could take 3-4 months. You will be advised by the Program Coordinator when you will be permitted to spend time alone with your student).
School requirements:
Guidelines for Reporting Child Abuse for Volunteers in Montgomery County Public SchoolsIn Maryland, the child abuse and neglect law requires that all persons are mandated to make a report as soon as possible to the Department of Health and Human Services when they suspect a child has been or is being mistreated. Only a suspicion of child maltreatment is needed to make a report. The law provides immunity from any civil liability or criminal penalty when a report is made in good faith. Because Child Welfare Services needs first-hand information on the child’s words, emotional state, and circumstances of the disclosure, it is important that the first-finder make the report to Child welfare Services.
If a volunteer in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) suspects physical abuse, sexual child abuse, neglect, and/or mental injury, the volunteer should use the following guidelines to make an oral report to Child Welfare Services as soon as possible.
- Contact the child’s teacher, the school counselor, or principal for support in making the call. If no staff member is available before it is time for the volunteer to leave the school for the day, the volunteer must proceed directly to step #2. Calls to Child Welfare Services should be made as early in the day as possible to allow adequate time to process the information provided.
- The volunteer should call Child Welfare Services at 240-777-4417. The caller should tell Child Welfare Services screener they are a volunteer and describe their suspicion, supplying as much information about the child as is available. The volunteer may give the school address and phone number rather than supplying personal information. A school staff member will then provide the call screener with additional information about the child.
- If a school staff member is not available, a social worker from the Screening Unit of Child Welfare Services will follow up to get the needed information from Montgomery County Public Schools.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Volunteers should make every effort to attend each program session. The students bond, some quicker than others, and look forward to seeing their tutor/mentor. It is a disappointment when the tutor misses a session. However, we do realize that people will on occasion experience health problems or plan vacations. Please call your Program Coordinator at 301-949-3551 when you cannot attend a session.
We have a list of substitute volunteers who will be called to fill in for an absentee volunteer. If they are unavailable to assist, the Program Coordinator will help when possible or the student will work with another mentor and mentee.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
The school calendar indicates all holidays, early dismissals and teacher’s professional days for the school year. Interages programs are not held on those days.
The Program Coordinator will keep you appraised of changes in the weekly calendar based on the school calendar. There will be occasions when your program will not meet due to early dismissal or teacher’s professional day.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
- Listen to the local radio and TV stations for school closings during inclement weather. If schools are closed, programs are not held.
- We are not able to make up for a lost session. You will meet again the following week.
- If you are in an after-school program and schools open late that day, the program will meet at the same time. After-school programs are not affected by late school openings.
SCHOOL PROCEDURES
- Interages' name badge should always be worn when you are in school. School staff needs to be able to identify you.
- Stop at the office every time you attend the program to sign in and list the hours you will be in attendance.
- Introduce yourself and the program to the office staff until they get to know you. “I’m Sarah Smith with Interages”.
- Proceed to the assigned room for arrival of students.
PROGRAM IDEAS
If you are a mentor, take a few moments at home to think about what you might like to discuss with your student in your next session. The Program Coordinator will have planned activities but some time will be unplanned for you and your student to get to know one another. Games and materials will be supplied. However, giving a few minutes of forethought about how to engage your student will help facilitate conversation.
You might bring in some photos of yourself as a child, a trip you enjoyed or an object that would make for lively conversation. Or, you might enjoy sharing memorabilia, a fancy or silly hat, a special book, a letter or a newspaper article. These suggestions could help in “breaking the ice” and make it easier for you to engage the student in conversation.
DISCIPLINE
Do not physically or emotionally discipline children at any time (hitting, pushing, using force or harsh reprimands).
Do not engage in any form of inappropriate contact with children. (sitting on lap, stroking).
If a situation occurs which is of concern to you, please notify your Program Coordinator as soon as possible. Also, please see Page 7 for Montgomery County Public School Volunteer Policy on suspected child abuse/neglect.
CONFIDENTIALITY
You should not share any information about specific children or parents with anyone other than the Interages staff.
Out of respect for families that participate in Interages, it is best to treat meetings and experiences with families and students as confidential.
VISITING WITH STUDENTS
While most Interages programs are school based, some mentors in the BRIDGES program may want to contact their mentee after school or would like to visit with them during school break or summer vacation.
Parents must be contacted if you intend to call your student and a permission form must be signed by the parent before calling or visiting with the student away from school.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF STUDENTS
Photographs may not be taken of student(s) you are working with whether for personal use or for the press without a signed photo release from the parents of the student. Interages Program Staff will have information on status of photo releases.
FOOD/GIFTS
Volunteers should not reward students with food or gifts. We may not be aware of dietary restrictions due to allergies or illness that may prohibit a child from partaking in a special treat you have brought for them.
By the same token, gifts that are brought in for one student will exclude others and only cause hurt feelings.
IN-SERVICE MEETINGS
Depending on your program, the Program Coordinator will schedule in-service meetings for veteran and new volunteers. In-services give the volunteers an opportunity to share experiences with other volunteers, address issues, obtain new information from the Program Coordinator and new ideas from guest speakers.
Volunteers are required to attend these sessions.
FINGERPRINTING
Interages performs criminal background checks of all volunteers. As a youth-serving agency, we must protect the youth we serve. Therefore, you will be required to have your fingerprints taken. At this time, Interages pays approximately $60 for each criminal background check. Due to the process involved, volunteers may be required to have several sets of fingerprints taken.
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