“I think the barriers mostly surround the newness of the idea and the difference of the idea. Most people don’t really understand what intergenerational programming is… that is the biggest challenge, setting that idea.”
These programs need not be expensive or out of reach. Columbus has a plethora of day care centers, both for adults and for children. Intergenerational programs need not be expensive nor time consuming; the benefits that rise out of them come from the genuine connection that comes from these two populations engaging with one another. The biggest barrier is one of knowledge; intergenerational programming is a new and innovative idea that will thrive given the right environment. The Champion Intergenerational Center is leading the way in Columbus, but there is still work to be done.
Without community partners like the National Church Residencies Center for Senior Health, Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC), the Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT), and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the Champion Intergenerational Center would not be possible. Connections and relationships like these need to be the norm, not the exception.
If you are interested in getting involved, or would like to learn more about intergenerational programs, contact Champion Intergenerational Center’s Intergenerational program manager Elizabeth Speidel via email or at (614) 253-2266.