A Promising Idea: Elder Leadership of Intergenerational Teams
Future Design
An Intergenerational Project to Reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACE's)
We have designed another project that is still in the blueprint stage only. Called "Mentoring Through Teamwork," its mandate is to address the many issues surrounding Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACES's). The idea: to gather together teams of retired professionals -- pediatricians, school administrators, social workers and counselors -- who will work part-time to organize mentoring initiatives -- enlisting the younger generations -- from mid career professionals to college students -- to assist children in poverty who suffer the debilitating effects of abuse and neglect.
Not only does this approach leverage the various resources -- interdisciplinary and intergenerational -- but the participants are in a position to mentor each other.
It's a promising idea in many other ways as well. It doesn't cost much financially and it puts into practice our "changemakers' design" by leveraging the vast resources of older folks who want to give back to their communities part-time, flex-time, close to home and who are looking for greater meaning and purpose in their lives.
This project -- The ACE's Project in Depth -- is just waiting to be implemented. The blueprint has been drafted. If you would like to help get this idea off the ground, please contact us at [email protected].
Future Design
An Intergenerational Project to Reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACE's)
We have designed another project that is still in the blueprint stage only. Called "Mentoring Through Teamwork," its mandate is to address the many issues surrounding Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACES's). The idea: to gather together teams of retired professionals -- pediatricians, school administrators, social workers and counselors -- who will work part-time to organize mentoring initiatives -- enlisting the younger generations -- from mid career professionals to college students -- to assist children in poverty who suffer the debilitating effects of abuse and neglect.
Not only does this approach leverage the various resources -- interdisciplinary and intergenerational -- but the participants are in a position to mentor each other.
- It's "reciprocal mentoring," as older participants offer their experience and younger participants offer their tech savvy.
- It also "cascading mentoring" as the older folks set the overall strategy (serving as a "steering committee), implemented by middle aged folks who work with "near peer" mentors (college students) who can most immediately create meaningful relationships with the recipients.
It's a promising idea in many other ways as well. It doesn't cost much financially and it puts into practice our "changemakers' design" by leveraging the vast resources of older folks who want to give back to their communities part-time, flex-time, close to home and who are looking for greater meaning and purpose in their lives.
This project -- The ACE's Project in Depth -- is just waiting to be implemented. The blueprint has been drafted. If you would like to help get this idea off the ground, please contact us at [email protected].