Hello everybody,
In my view, intergenerational work and learning should be respectful of the different values of different generations, also of those of older generations. In societies that value above all health and hard work, older people who are less healthy and not employed, who value having leisure time, might find themselves at the edge of the society. Would it be possible to encourage different values through intergenerational learning and how? I would appreciate your comments.
Comments
Alan Hatton-Yeo
Thursday 9th June 2011
I think this is a really important point. We know that the different experiences of differenct cohorts means that they don't necessarily share the same values. We were involved in an enquiry on intergenerational equity in the workplace in 2009 which is available at www.centreforip.org.uk which goes into this in more detail and this is just one example of a growing body of discussion about the workplace and different values and how these can be used for mutual benefit.
Iris Marreel, Projektebüro
Sunday 12th June 2011
The Projektebüro „Dialog der Generationen“ in Germany decorated two projects as projects of the month of May and nominating them by this for the Award Dialogue of Generations. Both projects show, how different values can be addressed though intergenerational learning. The Dresden Civic Foundation initiates the project Generationendialog. They organise since 4 years in various schools in Dresden dialogue circles between pupils and seniors on topics like “reflections on death“, “does fair war exist?”, “true love”, “human kind and social behaviour” during ethic classes. The other project “Werte erleben – Dialog der Generationen” (experiencing values – dialogue of generations) in Hamburg aims to alter the side by side of the younger and the older generations through common creative engagement in the arts to a cooperating and caring relationship. For more information see the month of Mai nominations of the GenerationendialogPreis under www.generationendialog.de.
Mariano Sanchez
Sunday 12th June 2011
My answer to the question formulated is "Yes, indeed". Exploring valures is a core component as well as a fundamental challenge of intergenerational learning initiatives. How to encourage a change of values? From our experience in the Spanish Intergenerational Network, the key to success are relationships. More than being concerned with 'what to do' (activities, actions, projects, workshops, meetings, and so on) we should focus on 'what to experience when being with people from different generations". Providing opportunities for generations to meet, to know each other, to explore their situations, needs, wishes, knowledges, and expectations, can be an effective way to find out which new values should be adopted in their mutual benefit and that of other people.
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