Our Community of Learners

In 2019, the ELC introduced an exciting new Intergenerational Program with CaSPA Care Nursing Home.

The idea of intergenerational care and learning is founded on the notion that old and young can bring new energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm to each other’s lives. The elderly people and the young children spend time sharing activities together and developing relationships.

Our Intergenerational Program provides opportunities for different generations to share experiences, knowledge and skills that will be mutually beneficial for the children and residents.

Our intention is to foster positive relationships built on trust, kindness and compassion, and develop connections and relationships within our community.

Research has proven that these interactions can have fantastic benefits for each generation, with children having a better sense of who they are and where they have come from, and older participants showing an increase in positivity in their lives, as well as improvements in health.

The Intergenerational Program sits within the Early Years Learning and Development Framework (EYLDF) to support the principles, practices and outcomes that guide our program at the ELC.

Over the past 12 months, we have been unable to meet our residents face to face. Instead, we shared letters, drawings and zoom calls. Just recently, our Kangaroo children enjoyed a zoom call with our aged-care residents. The children took great interest in how old the residents are. Pat, who is 94, and Eadie, who is 90, were proud to share their age. The children also learned that they like cups of tea, pumpkin soup and crafts. There were lots of questions at the end of our zoom meeting!

The nursing home delivered nine teddy bears that had been handmade by the residents. Each bear arrived with a name, hobbies and interests and a birth certificate. All are now part of our Kangaroo Room.

We are using the bears to build our connection with the aged-care residents. The teddies are helping us build our central idea around our community of learners. We will begin by helping the children develop the personalities of the individual teddies. Then we will roleplay social scenarios with the bears and model conflict resolution, and the language around being a good friend in order to build our emotional and social intelligence. Finally, we will share our learning journey with our aged-care residents and ask them questions around what makes a good friend.

We are looking forward to many adventures with our teddies: Eric, Benji, Cindy Lou, Morris, Kevin, Bonnie, Warren, Rachael and Jimmy, and to making further connections with our intergenerational friends.

The ELC students have set up ‘letterboxes’ in their classrooms for each resident, and are writing letters and creating drawings and paintings for them. A volunteer from CaSPA Care visits the ELC and collects the children’s drawings and letters to share with the residents.

Our Intergenerational Program is a highlight of our Early Years Program, and it is heart-warming to see how much joy our students bring the residents and vice versa. Now, our ELC children are waiting patiently to connect face to face with our residents. This journey is an exciting one, full of wonderful connections between the generations. The smiles on all the faces of young and old are testament to the wonderful opportunity that this program offers us all.

The aged-care residents, such as Pat, love their Trinity teddy bears!

Bonnie is a compliant model for Jaymie Li

Naomi Wright

Director of the ELC