How community development workers can help you
Community development work uses a variety of ways to engage sections of the community.
Intergenerational work
This brings together young and older people to exchange knowledge and skills to challenge age stereotypes and other barriers that undermine community cohesion.
2005 marked the 60th anniversary of VE and VJ Day. An intergenerational working group launched a project called 'WW2.Communication' which enabled older people to tell their wartime experiences to younger people.
Young people interviewed older people around the city, capturing their stories and reproducing them in a booklet and DVD entitled ‘Lest We Forget’.
The project involved the participation of older peoples groups, luncheon clubs, sheltered schemes, community resource centres, local schools, community organisations and local businesses.
The project proved to be a great success and achieved the following outcomes:
- production of 'Lest We Forget’ which recounted older peoples’ everyday experiences during the Second World War
- greater understanding of another generation
- opportunities to be part of a unique cross-generational project
Partnership working
Effective community development work involves the support of individuals and groups who share a common objective.
Our community development workers try to work with a variety of organisations that can use their expertise to benefit sections of the community in specialist projects.
The Ransackers Project
This project enables older people who have not previously benefited from higher education to study a subject of their choice.
The learning opportunity is for a ten week term. It either takes place in a university on a 'day student' basis or in an adult residential college such as Fircroft in Birmingham or Ruskin in Oxford. Students live at the college for the duration of the course.
An active mind is important to good mental health and personal well-being. As well as being a time of rest and relaxation, retirement and the senior years can present new life experiences and new challenges for older people.
Ransackers could be for you if you would like an educational adventure and you:
- are an older person (50+)
- are resident in the UK
- would like an intergenerational experience
- do not hold a degree or higher education qualification
- would relish the opportunity to discover more about a topic of interest
- want to benefit the community
- are keen to learn new skills and meet new people
This learning experience is free and is a 'Better Government for Older People' initiative. Ransackers is also supported by the Centre for Policy on Ageing and the Esmee Fairburn Foundation.