Intergenerational connection strengthening community, diminishing ageism.

Community Safety

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

Our nation's youth are in crisis and there is a loneliness epidemic among both teens and older adults. Sages & Seekers addresses the social isolation, alienation, loneliness, depression, anxiety and other debilitating issues experienced by high school-aged youth (Seekers) through meaningful connection, dialogue and emotional processing with trusted older adults familiar with navigating these issues - elders (Sages). Human beings evolved to live in small clans, intimately cohabitating with generations of ancestors and descendants. This model has been outmoded in the west by urbanization. But even temporary co-existence can lead to longterm transformation. Because age-segregation is promoted today with retirement communities for older adults, our youth are missing a huge opportunity to learn, grow and create relationships with members of society who can pass on their hard earned lessons including surviving failures, the stress of war, poverty and what it is to be a resilient human.

Our free evidence-based 8-Week Intergenerational Program is a one-to-one initiative centered around weekly meetings during a school semester. Our curriculum explores issues in older and younger people's lives, building community, addressing isolation, increasing empathy, and strengthening communication skills. The overall structure of the curriculum is significant and intentional, based on the human condition we all share. Because the weekly meetings build on each other, participant trust grows as the mutual relationship builds, creating a more profound result. Our matched dyads explore commonalities, helping to lift up and support each other's lives and foster reciprocal understanding while creating community among all participants. This program begins each session with a series of powerful discussion questions on topics of being human, such as integrity, human behavior, emotions, communication, and many others. Questions during Week 1 are designed to shatter stereotypes and assist participants in getting to know each other's worlds. Week2: Each Sage is matched with a Seeker in a takeoff on speed dating. Week3-6: Older and younger participants work one-on-one get to know each other. In addition, each session starts with rotation to assure everyone spends time as a community. Week7: Each Seeker writes and reads a Tribute honoring their Sage (bringing value), describing the impact derived from shared conversations. Week8: Debriefing by participants of the impact received.

Running free Intergenerational Programs since 2009, we make a positive, meaningful impact in the lives of two important populations who sometimes feel forgotten and under-valued. The main objective of Sages & Seekers is to address these concerns in the Los Angeles area, recognizing members of both groups can be positively changed by a thoughtful intergenerational experience. Based on the number of schools and senior facilities that have seen a positive shift in school culture and continued participant involvement, we intend to expand our programming to more schools and facilities so we are able to strengthen communities across Los Angeles. More programs means we are able to reduce loneliness, reported as being an epidemic by the CDC. Social isolation is associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia and other serious medical conditions. Connecting these 2 age groups lowers the risk of of depression, anxiety, and suicide for all participants, while strengthening our communities.

Sages & Seekers is an innovative and evidence-based social emotional learning model that has no equivalent in Southern California. Our program has been studied twice by University of Southern California, which conducted two professional impact evaluations of our program through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Templeton Foundation, providing an evidence-based framework for our model. Study outcomes include 1)greater sense of purpose; 2)greater interest in civic engagement; 3)improved social-emotional skills; 4)reflection on core values; 5)greater well-being. We continue to build on these findings by delivering a post-program survey to all participants measuring more aspects of the mental health crisis for teens, and the post-covid actions and beliefs of our older adults, as well as their mental and emotional needs and feelings. We are working with a developmental neuropsychologist to design efficient and meaningful surveys.