Intergenerational Learning in Europe – Policies, Programmes ...

4. Intergenerational Practices in EuropePromoting networking among generations, Finland, was developed to promotethe well being of children and adolescents by providing adequate adultcontacts for children and young people and by supporting the everyday life offamilies with children. The adults in the project volunteered as mentors and adultfriends to the children and young people. The project’s main goal was to put intergenerationalrelationships in place through a mentoring model supportingthe development of the young people.(http://www.koske.jyu.fi)The analysis of the EAGLE practices cases clearly shows thatin many ways successful intergenerational learning projectsare grounded in models of participation and engagement.Through the close involvement of potential collaboratorsat the very beginning, the finally applied project is mostlikely to reflect what people are really seeking to changein their ‘life worlds’ rather than building only upon the preconceptionsof a small group or individual. One of the greatchallenges for the establishment of intergenerational learningis the way that society and professional training is oftensegmented. As a consequence youth workers for examplewill need to engage with older people’s groups and viceversa and the planning of the project will need to be intergenerationalin its design and participants.EAGLE is therefore seeking to encourage the perception ofintergenerational learning from the viewpoint of social inclusionand the reciprocal benefits of bringing the youngand old together.TANDEM, Germany, is aimed at developing sustainablevocational qualifications for long term unemployedyoung people and to foster the re-employmentof long term unemployed older workers by utilisingthe skills and competencies of older people to vocationallytrain young people in real life settings such ascar repair, carpeting, plumbing, electronics, metal workand gastronomy. (http://www.hwk-erfurt.de)12