Press release issued by Spelthorne Borough Council

An Intergenerational Project between A2  Housing, Spelthorne Borough Council and Thamesmead School 2006.

Background

A2 Housing and Spelthorne Borough Council wanted to improve the perceptions of young people in the eyes of older residents in the area. It was decided that this would be done through pupils from Year 8 teaching the senior citizens IT skills and using their memories to foster connections between the generations and to produce a drama performance.

Seniors visited the school for a series of afternoons for the project. Each visit incorporated a time for both everyone to talk together over refreshments and to review new learning. Some pupils and seniors participated in both IT and drama.

The seniors were taught a number of topics in IT which included:

1. using a computer
2. using the Internet.
3. word processing
4. desktop publishing
5. drawing/graphics

Each produced some work of their own which was made into a booklet.

Within drama pupils spent time talking with the seniors about what their own lives were like in teenage years: life at home, food, entertainment, transport. The drama was developed with the seniors adding comments, suggesting scenes, demonstrating e.g. boarding an open-platform bus. The final piece of work used physical performance to show modern day teenagers getting ready to go out: showering, travelling by train with sliding doors, greater independence of girls and contrasted it with fanning a fire to heat water, washing hair with jugs of cold water, open platform buses, and melodrama in films.

The drama was performed to the seniors at the end of the project, to Celebration assembly (along with PowerPoint presentation of ICT project) and at the Greeno Day Centre for Senior Citizens from Shepperton and A2 Housing schemes around the Borough. The project will also be featured at the A2 Housing Fun Day in Old Windsor in August.

Pupil comments

‘I was nervous. I thought the seniors would be a bit boring but then I saw that they were just like us. grown –ups body with a child’s imagination. As the project developed I saw that they were all children at heart and there was a side to them I had never seen before. By the end of the project I was sad it was over but pleased I had done it. I gained because I really had fun with them. I think the seniors saw that not all teenagers are bad and I think we reminded them of what it was like to be a teenager. I hope they had fun too.’

‘I thought that they might be really old and that you would have to shout at them. I thought that they weren’t that old and knew a lot about the modern world. I thought I had taught someone something they can use in life. I think they learned how to use a computer and became more confident.’

‘I thought hey would take a long time to learn how to use the basics on a computer. I wasn’t sure how they would react to my teaching them. They seemed really nice and enjoyed learning how to use a computer.’

‘At the start I was nervous and anxious. They were much nicer than I thought they would be. I know that they learned how to use the computers and different ways of connecting with the world.’

‘I thought they would be boring. I was worried and scared that I could not talk to them. They were interesting and funny. I felt happy that I could help them. They learned how to use different programmes on the computer.’

‘I thought that they would be boring and hard to speak to, as the project went on they became easier to speak to.’

‘I thought the seniors would be a bit scary and I felt really nervous. As the project developed my thoughts changed, they were good fun and gave good ideas. I learnt some good facts and also improved my drama skills. I think the seniors enjoyed it and they got the opportunity to see what we learned in school.’

‘Before the meeting I thought it would be difficult to relate to them as they are a different generation. They are interesting and much nicer that I thought they would be. I feel I know much more about lie back them and what is it like for the older generation living today. I think the seniors gained from the experience of talking and getting to know the younger people.’

‘Before the meeting I thought hey would bore me to death, but as the project developed they got very much more exciting and gave out great views on our play and how too improve it. I gained by knowing a lot more about old people.’

‘I was worried and thought they would be boring. They were interesting and funny. I felt happy that I could help them. I think they have learned that we are not all bad people.’
‘At first I felt a bit nervous because I thought the old people would be …….well…….old and maybe look down on us. As the project developed I had a different attitude towards the seniors. They all seemed really nice. I feel I gained trust from the old people and I now do not stereotype them. They were happy to help with our drama scene.’

Thanks to:

Vikki Radford and Spelthorne Borough Council for providing transport
Julia McMullin and A2 Housing for their support and experience.
Residents of Meadowview and other housing schemes.
Teachers Kelly Holliday and Darren Trofimczuk for their support and expertise.
Year 8 pupils: Lara Jabovic, Perry Freeland, Chris Joly, Kate Vince, Sophie Baggs, Tom Robinson, Tom Newell, Imogen Coombs, Lauren Brett, Adam Squire, Joshua Burkmar,