Global Intergenerational Congress next week in Glasgow, Scotland
September 25, 2026
29 September – 1 October 2026 | Glasgow, Scotland. Next week between 29 September and 1 October delegates from across the globe will come together in Glasgow to share ideas, learn from innovative practice, explore new research, and strengthen connections across generations. The Congress is being hosted by Generations Working Together and will feature speakers
Delighted to announce that the unique TOY (Together Old and Young) Online Course about intergenerational learning is now free to access at the ECOS Institute
September 22, 2026
Together Old and Young: An Intergenerational Approach, is a self-paced 4-module course for educators; social care professionals and community leaders who are interested in creating inclusive intergenerational programmes for children (0–8) and older adults. This course’s unique focus on young children distinguishes it from other intergenerational learning programmes, making it a perfect supplement for university and college programmes about ECEC
The TOY Online Course is back!
February 4, 2026
The very popular online TOY Course, Together Old and Young: An Intergenerational Approach was relaunched last week on ECOS – Early Childhood One System. This flexible, self-paced 4-module course is designed for educators; social care professionals and community leaders who are interested in creating inclusive intergenerational programmes for children (0–8) and adults aged 65+. Its unique focus on young children distinguishes this course from other intergenerational learning programmes.
Preparation is key when introducing intergenerational learning in preschools
May 23, 2025
Bernie Pentony, a teacher in Ireland describes the steps she recently took to introduce a TOY project-inspired programme of visits by young children to a care home for older adults. Affording the children the opportunity to interact with older adults in a care home reflects my belief in the importance of learning spaces beyond the walls
Breaking the Australian Monolingual Mindset: IG programmes and language revitalisation
May 1, 2024
More than 90% of Australia’s Indigenous Aboriginal languages are at risk of disappearing. Intergenerational programmes involving elders can help reverse this trend. Read Sophia Stirling’s blog about this issue.
Addressing ageism through IG practice: one programme at a time
February 22, 2024
For the past 10 years, Associate Professor Katrina Radford from Griffith University, Australia has been researching intergenerational practice in a non-familial environment. As part of this work, she has been promoting the concept of Grandfriends also as a way of addressing ageism. Read on to find out more about her work.
Generations Growing Together: New Handbook on IGL in ECEC
January 16, 2024
Generations Growing Together: New handbook on implementing intergenerational learning in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services now launched. To get a taster read this blog by its author, Dr Anne Fitzpatrick.
A Glimpse into Norwegian Intergenerational Practices
October 31, 2023
Livsglede for Eldre or Life Joy for the Elderly, began as a volunteer initiative in Norway in 2005 to bring joy to older adults in their own community. It has since become a human rights-based national certification system for nursing homes. Read on to find out more about its intergenerational work.
The Immeasurable Gains of Intergenerational Learning
September 19, 2023
Working closely with families and communities is an important part of early childhood education. Therefore, intergenerational learning would seem to be a natural ‘fit’ for early years services, something that struck Bernie Pentony, an early year’s educator in Ireland.
An intergenerational perspective from the Philippines
June 7, 2023
“We did not realize that our everyday lives are worthy of being studied” Multi-generational households are a feature of life in the Philippines. Drawing inspiration from Filipino psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino), Czarecah Oropilla reflects on intergenerational relations in the Philippines with a particular focus on young children and older adults.
Insights from the Ugandan Grandmothers Programme
April 5, 2023
“My goat produces double, I will sell one to pay school fees for my grandchild” Due to a variety of circumstances, grandmothers become the sole carers for their grandchildren. This happens across the globe and often goes unrecognised by governments despite the critical roles these women play in children’s lives. A blog by Carmel Gallagher and
Super Shed Intergenerational Stories and Children’s Well-being
January 11, 2023
Building on her Super Shed Stories digital storytelling innovation, Samantha Hallows together with her student film-maker son Aaron Hallows is now producing online stories with intergenerational solidarity themes in mind. Read her blog to find out more.
IGL in Play and Learning Hubs for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia
December 20, 2022
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Škola dokorán – Wide Open School in cooperation with UNICEF and ICDI launched six new Play and Learning Hubs in Slovakia. Spread across Slovakia in Košice, Prešov, Žilina, Poprad, Spišská Nová Ves and Tatranská Lomnica, their goal is to connect Ukrainian and Slovak children and enhance inclusion among
Intergenerational Cricket4All, Fingal, Ireland
December 13, 2022
Ever thought about intergenerational cricket? This is the latest initiative of Fingal County Council in North County Dublin, Ireland. Read more about how it came about in this blog by Cathrina Murphy, Senior Community Officer.
BiG | Borgo intergenerazionale Greco: three generations under one roof in Milan
June 30, 2022
A Blog by Cristian Zanelli, Vice president of ABCittá and coordinator of BiG BiG | Borgo intergenerational Greco is an urban regeneration project that has restored the historic Cascina Conti in the Greco district of Milan. The project, comprising 25 mini-apartments, shared spaces and services is managed by ABCittà in agreement with the Municipality of
The Story of Intergenerational Learning at Atlantic Technological University Sligo
June 28, 2022
Marie Hanmore-Cawley and Kate Brown team teach a module in intergenerational learning (IGL) at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Sligo Ireland. Their professional relationship was forged through a shared understanding of the power of intergenerational work, and a drive to embed IG learning in the curriculum at all levels of education, from Early Years to Higher
Golden Age Park: Activating urban public space for IG engagement
May 5, 2022
by Claire Nelischer and Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris During a sunny Saturday in February 2022, in the central city neighborhood of Westlake, Los Angeles, a quiet pocket park was transformed into a bustling intergenerational space for music, art, food, and community.
Walkie talkies and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ – maintaining IG friendships through COVID
April 7, 2022
One of our regular TOY blog contributors is Eilish Balfe, from Happy Days Early Years Service, Ireland. In this blog she describes the creative strategies the children and residents in the local nursing home have been using this past year to maintain their friendships.
New book: Intergenerational Bonds. Interview with the editors
March 25, 2022
Mary Renck Jalongo and Patricia Crawford, co-editors of the newly published book ‘Intergenerational Bonds. The Contributions of older adults to young children’s lives‘ (Springer) engage in a wide-ranging discussion with Margaret Kernan, co-coordinator of TOY. The interview covers the current status of IGL in education scholarship and teaching, the role of children’s literature in promoting IGL
Intergenerational learning as a pedagogical strategy in ECE services
January 31, 2022
Community and public spaces can serve as rich and innovative learning environments for children by using intergenerational learning (IGL) as a pedagogical strategy. This was a key finding of a recent PhD study about IGL in early childhood education (ECE) services in Ireland conducted by Dr. Anne Fitzpatrick. The study demonstrates how IGL offers a
Intergenerational learning about, in and for the place – an Irish initiative
May 28, 2021
“Before the programme at my school I thought my place was pretty boring, I didn’t know a lot about nature but now I think differently. I think my place is amazing and I’m lucky to live here”. These are the views of one of the young participants in the Burrenbeo initiatives. Based on the west
Sharing beauty: Intergenerational theatre during COVID in Italy
February 22, 2021
How can creative workshops involving lots of play and physical contact between young and old be reimagined for COVID times? This is exactly what PER TERRA IL CIELO (the sky on earth), an intergenerational theatre workshop project in the North of Italy, has achieved over the past 6 months. The theatre workshop is the creation
Happy days: innovative ways to promote IGL during COVID-19 in Ireland
February 1, 2021
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
Remote intergenerational learning: an experiment in Italy evaluated by TOY
October 30, 2020
“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
