After concluding the first Output – the BEST FRIENDS European Report which analyses the existing methods and the current needs of care operators and social workers, elderly people and educators / volunteers- the partnership of the Best Friends project has produced a training program for health professionals, social workers and volunteers who work with seniors and a collection of intergenerational games useful for planning intergenerational learning activities between seniors (65+) and young children (4-5 years).
These products were validated through an organised training for staff, social workers and volunteers working with older adults, which was held in Plymouth, England on April 5th, 6th and 7th, 2022.
It was a very educational experience during which the participants became familiar with the topics of the BEST FRIENDS training course for people interested in developing intergenerational learning activities between seniors and young children. Participants discussed the concept of intergenerational learning, the benefits of collaboration between different generations, the ways in which intergenerational learning can be applied to a wide range of contexts and targets.
Participants learned many notions about the concepts of marginalization and stereotypes in relation to both young and adult age and collected information useful for planning and implementing intergenerational learning activities that mainly involve children and the elderly.
All this knowledge will be useful in the subsequent project phase of Pilot testing, during which the partners will be engaged in the implementation of intergenerational learning activities and games to evaluate whether and to what extent the activities proposed in the research phase are useful for social care operators, elderly and children and to quantify the results.
