YMCA is a Youth movement: by youth, for youth, having “youth empowerment” as the motto.
While some organisations are still reaching the best of youth representation and youth participation, some have reached such a level of inclusiveness that they start reflecting if different generations have equal spaces in YMCA and if their interaction is meaningful.
- Intergenerationality is interaction between members of different generations (Wikipedia).
- Intergenerational equity is the concept or idea of fairness or justice in relationships between children, youth, adults and seniors, particularly in terms of treatment and interactions. (Wikipedia).
Intergenerational dialogues are interactive participatory forums that bring together older and younger generations and are intended to create shared knowledge and meaning and a collective experience.
The most common framework to describe collaboration of “youth” and “adults” is the “Ladder of Youth Participation” by Roger Hart.
By its name we see that it was created to solve the problems of tokenism, youth under- representation and lack of youth-led spaces.
The Intergenerational Approach to Development: Bridging the Generation Gap document suggests a variant of a conceptual framework for the Intergenerational Approach.
It outlines the following principles:
- Recognition of the interdependence of adolescent and adult lives.
- Common understanding and respect for each generation’s unique experiences through open dialogue.
- Both generations are key stakeholders whose buy-in, ownership and participation are important for the project’s success.
- Recognition that younger and older adolescents have different needs and that different adults play supportive roles at various stages in adolescents’ lives.
- Sensitization and training are important for both generations.
Please, see the best practice of YMCA Australia how they understand and promote Intergenerational Approach
The European Commission speaks about solidarity between generations followed by the generation change happening in Europe:
https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/intergenerational-dialogue
Intergenerational Approach is widely used as a perfect tool for Community Building:
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Bf1AtuGgvgnPGvDuLPvenRyzPCnqtNP/view?usp=sharing
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/18JrQ47o0UGKBCeUlUXjxyA6tdpJVRGYP/view?usp=sharing
Examples of approaches, programmes, projects, activities from YMCAs:
- https://www.ymcaquebec.org/en/Find-a-Y/Notre-Dame-de-Grace-YMCA
- https://ymcanorthtyneside.org/news/intergenerational-bingo/
- https://carrickymca.org/intergenerational-project/
- https://ymcateesdale.org.uk/tag/intergenerational/
- https://www.thesay.org/Blog/Article/161/Intergenerational-Mentoring-Program-Begins-at-the-Berkeley-Heights-YMCA
- https://srymca.org/news/2022/06/21/home-news/saratoga-regional-ymca-and-saratoga-senior-center-break-ground-on-revolutionary-joint-intergenerational-wellness-capital-project/
- https://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/7420169-oakville-ymca-builds-connections-through-intergenerational-programming/
- https://rochesterymca.org/news/southwest-family-ymca-celebrates-opening-resource-center
- https://www.noozhawk.com/article/santa_barbara_ymca_family_camp_an_intergenerational_tradition
- https://www.ymcacalgary.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/fcss_one_time_final_report_hi_res.pdf
The material is created within the project “ Governance and Quality Development” supported by Erasmus+, Key Action 2 programme.
Movement Strengthening in YMCA Europe is aimed at building the capacity of organisations in different spheres including governance, internal policies, quality standards and strategic planning.
