Europe is amid the third wave of the COVID pandemic. Luckily, there are many very committed early years and care professionals working tirelessly to connect generations in creative and imaginative ways during this the third Lockdown. Read Eilish Balfe’s blog about how Happy Days Early Years’ Service in Ireland has been maintaining intergenerational relationships in the village community of Ratoath, in Ireland over the past year.
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Remote intergenerational learning: an experiment in Italy evaluated by TOY
“My child discovered the pleasure of imagination and curiosity: imagining what was going to be read to her and being curious about who would read it to her” says P., mother of Z (5 years old).
This is the opinion of a mother whose child participated in the pilot of the intergenerational Storytellers Project in Empoli, Italy. Words like mystery, anticipation, curiosity, and even magic often came up in the accounts of the parents when they thought about their children’s emotions during this experience.
Maintaining affection and closeness between generations in Spain during COVID-19
“Showing affection and closeness between different generations thanks to a daily radio programme has been one of the most comforting and rewarding experiences of my professional life”. These are the words of Pablo Ortiz, a Language and Literature teacher at the “Padre Manjón” School, who has been an active participant in the “Radio Fuerza” [Force Radio] intergenerational initiative. This is one of many examples of IG actions which are counteracting the negative effects that COVID-19 has had in Spain. Read more in this blog written by Ángel Barragán and Ignacio Chato.
IGL and COVID-19 pandemic: the experience of GWT Scotland
“Intergenerational practice has been massively affected by the pandemic. Most established projects relied heavily on face-to-face contact and were set in a group context and many projects involved vulnerable older people in care settings. The need to halt the spread of the virus and protect lives brought these to an immediate halt. At the same time, the health emergency has shone a light on the importance of more cohesive communities and intergenerational relationships.”
Old and young learning crochet in Play Hub Orehovica, Croatia
The enthusiastic involvement of a local women’s group in the Orehovica TOY for Inclusion Play Hub in Croatia has inspired an intergenerational crochet group there. Read how it all began in this blogpost by the Play Hub coordinator, Monika Kamenc and Marina Trbus, from Open Academy Step by Step, Croatia.
