Intergenerational Ideas - MASC

Intergenerational Ideas

Building bridges between generations through community activities.

For a more comprehensive list of Intergenerational Resources for event programming please visit our new Intergenerational Manitoba Website. A snippet of some of the different Intergenerational Events and Programs can be found below.

Suggested Activities

  • • Storytelling (a senior to a large or small group of children – early years to 18 years)
  • • Youth offering to teach seniors about computers
  • • Seniors sharing their craft abilities/knowledge with youth (crochet, knitting, etc)
  • • Intergenerational walking groups (in a school or community centre)
  • • Intergenerational games (bingo, cards, darts, etc)
  • • Senior recognized by youth (award)
  • • Youth as friendly connectors to Seniors (call or contact made once each month)
  • • Community event (organized by Seniors for youth, organized by youth for Seniors)
  • • Grandparent program
  • • Intergenerational Focus Groups – 'What is it like to be a Senior?' – provide food

Success Stories from Our Communities

Age & Opportunity Centres (Winnipeg)

Supported the costs involved with the annual Seniors Housing & Lifestyles Expo at which students of the Culinary Arts Program at Tec Voc had a display booth which highlighted their intergenerational activities.

Carman Active Living Centre

Initiated Intergenerational Curling this year.

Charleswood Senior Centre (Winnipeg)

Expanded their Snow Angels Initiative; a volunteer run program. Students helped seniors keep their sidewalks clean to avoid falls. The CSC approached all the schools in the Charleswood area to ask for student volunteers to assist with snow shoveling. The Centre then matched students with a senior for the winter season.

Dauphin MP Senior Centre

Had older adults teach younger adults how to cook specific dishes from scratch: soup, buns/bread, perogies & cabbage rolls; offered in a series of 4 classes, each two hours long. Students worked hands-on in the kitchen with facilitators and when possible, took home the fully cooked dish or took it home ready-to-cook. Facilitators provided history/ethnic significance of their dishes for further education.

Good Neighbours Active Living Centre (Winnipeg)

Hosted an Intergenerational Olympics coinciding with the Winter Olympics. Activities included:

  • • Badminton
  • • Javelin Throw (using a broom stick)
  • • Discus (using a Frisbee)
  • • Individual and Relay races
  • • Volleyball (using a beach ball)
  • • Archery

High school students from Miles Macdonell Collegiate managed sports stations, with seniors and students teamed up to ensure intergenerational connections.

Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre (Winnipeg)

Held an open house featuring program information, guided tours, and a light lunch to showcase their nutritious daily food offerings.

Minnedosa 50+ Activity Centre

Involved younger quilters with the Minnedosa Valley Piecemakers Quilt Guild.

Morden Friendship Activity Centre

Hosted an intergenerational 'World Cafe' to discuss Age Friendly topics including:

  • • Respect and social inclusion
  • • Respectful and disrespectful behaviour
  • • Intergenerational and family interactions
  • • Public education and images of aging

Prairie Oasis Senior Centre (Brandon)

Held an afternoon where students showed Seniors how to use a Wii game, combined with refreshments.

Steinbach 55+ Centre

Developed "Hobby Building – a Model Railroad Project" giving seniors an opportunity to work with youth in a mentorship 'grandparent/grandchild' environment.

St James Assiniboia 55+ Centre (Winnipeg)

Collaborated with Strathmillan School Legacy Project – grandparents/seniors meet three times throughout the school year to discuss, mentor, and share ideas about life, school, and history.