The frantic pace of modern life and the excess of information with which we are “bombarded” every day mean that a worrying phenomenon can be observed: people are ceasing to talk to one another, isolating themselves, and there is no dialogue between successive generations. Each generation speaks its own language, which is often incomprehensible to others. The values recognised by older generations are losing their significance in today’s world.
Therefore, the main aim of the initiative undertaken by young people from the Bolesławiec Voluntary Labour Corps was to develop intergenerational bonds along the junior–educator–senior axis and to demonstrate the benefits of contacts between representatives of different age groups.
The project’s authors sought to create a friendly space in which representatives of the different generations living in the local community could work on breaking down stereotypes existing in society about both the younger generation and older people. Through their activities, they promoted values such as openness, tolerance, a healthy lifestyle, respect for others and sensitivity to the needs of others—particularly older people, who are a very important link in the chain of generations, and whose knowledge and experience can be invaluable to younger generations.
At the same time, the project’s creators sought to make seniors aware that cooperation with the developing generation could make their own lives more pleasant and easier.
Four meetings were held as part of the joint activities:
- workshops during which children, young people and members of the Amazons Club made Easter decorations together
- a talk with participants from the Corps and female students of the Technical School at the Construction School Complex concerning breast cancer prevention
- intergenerational Zumba
- a concert summarising the cooperation.
Thanks to the project, seniors, young people and children are certainly richer in new experiences and aware of the benefits resulting from bringing generations together. The joint meetings made young people and children realise that one can spend time pleasantly and very productively not only among one’s own peers, but also with seniors, who may seem boring to many young people.
The Amazons’ abilities, disposition and temperament certainly enabled young people to look at the older generation from a different perspective and encouraged them to continue the cooperation. Stereotypes concerning young people and seniors were dispelled. The older generation became convinced that young people are not as bad or morally corrupt as the media often portray them, that it is possible to reach an understanding with them and create something worthwhile together. Young people and children discovered that seniors do not merely complain about younger generations, but are happy to share their life knowledge and experience, can completely lose themselves in having fun, and inspire optimism and faith in the meaning of human life.
During the concert summarising the initiative, the Corps participants thanked their partners for their cooperation. Certificates of thanks were presented to the president of the Bolesławiec Amazons Club, Władysława Kotlarek, the director of Miejski Zespół Szkół No. 2 in Bolesławiec, Waldemar Bugaj, and Magdalena Czyżewska, the teacher responsible for class III a.
The young people hope that the intergenerational dialogue will not be interrupted and that its benefits will produce tangible results in the form of improved interpersonal relations.
B.J. – HP Bolesławiec