BUILDING INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY
What brings people together? What builds community and fosters connection between individuals of all ages and experiences? After a year of field research on the topic, some common themes have emerged. It’s food, it’s music, it’s games and sports, it’s story-telling and a sense of shared history, and so much more. The things that bring people together and facilitate positive intergenerational contact are not new or revolutionary, they are fundamental parts of the human experience. They exist cross-culturally, although the specifics change with the local culture and preferences.
Community spaces and projects often arise out of a community desire or need. These spaces or programs are frequently community-driven, bottom-up, but also heavily rely on the support of local or federal governments, non-profits, and private foundations to provide funding and logistical help. The need for community spaces and programs that facilitate intergenerational community and connection is dire. We have grown increasingly isolated from one another, as social disconnection continues to rise. Social connection (the structure, function, and quality of one’s relationships with others) is essential for our individual health and well-being as well as the well-being of the greater community (Office of the Surgeon General, 2023).
Intergenerational spaces provide a place for people of different ages to meet and build relationships and community. An intergenerational space can be created in a community center, a library, a park, a school, a cafe, and so on.
If you have an intergenerational space or program, I'd love to hear from you.
Intergenerational Spaces and Programs
Community spaces and projects often arise out of a community desire or need. These spaces or programs are frequently community-driven, bottom-up, but also heavily rely on the support of local or federal governments, non-profits, and private foundations to provide funding and logistical help. The need for community spaces and programs that facilitate intergenerational community and connection is dire. We have grown increasingly isolated from one another, as social disconnection continues to rise. Social connection (the structure, function, and quality of one’s relationships with others) is essential for our individual health and well-being as well as the well-being of the greater community (Office of the Surgeon General, 2023).
What might a dynamic and community-driven space or program like look? In Tallinn, Estonia, it’s a museum. “What is a museum, anyway? It can no longer be just things placed behind glass. Museums have to connect with everyday life and social themes” said Tuuli Silber, Educator and Curator at the Kalamaja Museum. The Kalamaja Museum was born out of a desire to connect with the local community by telling the stories of everyday people. The museum's creation was initially met with skepticism, as the idea of focusing on the lives of common individuals, rather than historical artifacts or famous figures, was unconventional. The project began by organizing street tours and collecting memories from Kalamaja residents, particularly older individuals. Outdoor exhibitions in 2019 and 2020 gained attention, leading to a growing collection of stories, photos, and objects and artifacts from the neighborhood. The Kalamaja museum opened as a physical museum in September 2021, its focus remains community-driven, with strong involvement from locals of all ages. One lesson that arose from the Kalamaja museum was the need to engage with the community and ask what they want, what they are interested in, how they want to build community.
The Kalamaja Museum emphasizes inclusivity and the idea that a museum should feel like home, encouraging people to share their stories and skills. A few examples of how community members are involved at the Kalamaja museum include young children learning to garden, a teenager who builds insect homes for around the neighborhood, a local chef sharing their knowledge of how to cook a certain traditional dish, an older man whose curiosity about manhole covers in the area led to years of research and the publication of a book on the topic. Although not explicitly designed to be intergenerational, the activities and programs at the Kalamaja museum bring in individuals from across the age spectrum. Intergenerational connection happens because of the common connectors: food, music, games, stories and a shared history.
The decline of private and public spaces to connect with and meet people of all ages in the community has been happening for decades. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the death of community spaces (e.g., cafes, public libraries, bowling alleys, places of worship) and has contributed to our growing isolation, loneliness, and mental health crises (Finlay, 2019). The lack of community engagement is also tied to decreases in community trust, as the majority of Americans (64%) believe that trust in one another is shrinking (Rainine & Perrin, 2019).
A growing body of research demonstrates the lack of connection and community that many individuals, across the age spectrum, feel. For example, only 39% of adults in the United States (U.S.) said they felt very connected to others (Gallup, 2022). Age segregation and the lack of intergenerational contact between younger and older adults is a key driver of ageism (stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination directed toward people on the basis of their age; WHO, 2021). Intergenerational contact between young and older adults is often limited by life circumstances and negative perceptions of individuals based on age (Levy et al., 2022). To address pertinent social issues such as ageism, loneliness, mental health, and declines in community trust, fostering positive intergenerational contact is key.