Intergenerational Educational Experiences
The power of connecting with people from different generations is often under-recognized in the world we live in today. Current research supports many positive benefits of intergenerational connections on brain wellness, creativity, and mental/physical health for all. By bringing inspiration and creating a deeper understanding between members of the community, intergenerational relationships can serve to bridge perceived age gaps, promote positive age beliefs and empower our community to grow as a whole.
The BCBWP Intergenerational Projects provide educational opportunities for university students from variety of faculties. Student volunteers are active leaders in developing and delivering the programs, learning valuable program development and communication skills as well as organizational and time management skills. Other student volunteers gain valuable knowledge about aging, health conditions, empathy and communication skills while benefitting from the opportunity to learn life lessons from the seniors they work with.
By conversing with elders, young people can gain advice, practice empathy, mindfulness, and person-centered care, learn to view disabilities differently, improve their attitudes toward older adults, strengthen respect for the wisdom of age, and learn from the seniors’ lived experiences. In turn, by interacting with younger people, senior participants can decrease possible stress and social isolation, enhance their quality of life through increased self-acceptance, positive emotions, and a sense of purpose, foster communication, improve their attitudes towards youth, and gain an opportunity to teach, reflect, and give back to the younger generation.
Current Projects
Past Projects
Intergenerational Ballroom Dance
In this class series, intergenerational ballroom dance classes are being offered for BC Brain Wellness Program participants and UBC student volunteers. In past terms, participants have learned the Waltz and Cha Cha.
Testimonials
“The student participation made a positive impression on me. They were kind and respectful of their elders, and welcoming too. I feel there is hope for our planet.” – Senior participant
“I loved learning waltz with the seniors, it allowed me to interact with them in person and have some amazing discussions! It was interesting to hear their unique perspective on random topics and fun to chat and dance together.” – Student participant”
“It was great to see everyone so happy and enjoying the class.” – Student participant
This project will continue to be offered as a recurring class for the F2026 term.
Registration is open.
Intergenerational Letter Writing
This is the newest offering in the Intergenerational Projects series, starting in the Fall 2026 term. This project matches a senior and student participant who exchange handwritten letters via email over an eight months period, with the purpose of fostering meaningful intergenerational connections through the timeless art of letter writing. While conversation prompts are provided as inspiration, participations are free to discuss or share whatever they feel is right to them.
This project will be offered in the F2026 to W2027 class terms.
Applications are open until September 15.
Intergenerational Storytelling: Everybody Has a Story
Testimonials
BCBWP Blog Post
This project is being offered for the F2026 term.
Applications are open until September 15.
“This project taught me that there is much more similarity and less division between myself and the older generations than I had expected.” – Student participant
“I feel like I have a new perspective on what things matter in life. Doing a life review with someone else at a later point in their life really helps you see what kinds of things people look back on with fondness. And you also take notice of the things that didn't add much value to your life. It was helpful to take stock of my priorities.” – Student participant
“I have really cherished the time spent with [partner], and think I've made a friend. Actively listening to her stories has not only been impactful for me but also showed me how I can make a difference by being attentive to someone.” – Student participant
“The process of writing my life's story gave me a greater sense of purpose, an appreciation of my achievements and compassion for the struggles I have endured.” – Senior participant
In this project, seniors were paired with a student to create a life story book for the senior. This project provided an opportunity to connect, reflect and inspire the younger generation while creating an abridged life story book that arrived at the storytellers’ doorstep upon completion.
For students, this project provides an opportunity to gain valuable insights about neurological conditions and aging, develop empathy and perspective taking, receive valuable life lessions, contribute to a meaningful experience for a senior, understand the process of storytelling, and practice listening and interview skills as well as intergenerational communication.
Intergenerational Writing Project: Stories Across Time
“This experience challenged my assumption that older generations would feel very different from my own. I found that we actually shared many similar perspectives, which was really enlightening. Hearing their experiences gave me a broader perspective on life and left me feeling motivated and inspired. I also genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to connect and have conversations with them.” – Student participant
“The BC Brain Wellness Program projects give me confidence to interact with young people.” – Senior participant
“My favourite part of the project was the opportunity to hear different perspectives and engage in meaningful conversations. It made me reflect more deeply on my own experiences and helped me appreciate the value of shared stories across generations. The project left me feeling more open-minded and inspired by others’ insights.”
Inspired by the street portraits and interviews of Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, Stories Across Time is an intergenerational project that brings together people of different generations, cultures, and contexts to explore the histories of everyday life through storytelling.
Participants have the opportunity to share their stories through various forms of creative writing (e.g., list, short fiction, poem, letter, reflection, or something entirely their own) in response to intergenerational questions designed to spark meaningful conversations about the small details (like morning routines, memorable interactions, or first loves) embedded in our daily lives.
Together, the stories form a collective portrait of life across generations, cultures, and experiences, showing what has changed, what has stayed, and what we hope to pass on. In doing so, Stories Across Time celebrates diversity and connection while fostering creativity, reflection, and belonging.
Testimonials
Intergenerational Book Collaborative: Chapters of Humanity
This project was inspired by the Human Library concept, which originated in Denmark in 2000 to foster connection through open and meaningful dialogue. Over the course of a couple of months, a group of seniors were invited to prepare and share selected stories from their lives with a group of students. After listening and engaging with these stories, students created a book cover for the stories they had heard.
Book Covers
Created by Anna-Liisa Volohhonski
Testimonials
Created by Isabel Arias
Created by Anna-Liisa Volohhonski
“What I liked most about this experience was simply getting to listen — really listen — to people whose lives have stretched far beyond my own. There is something so profound about hearing from people who have lived through so many chapters I haven’t reached yet. I was also struck by how often people reinvented their lives, or got around to pursuing a lifelong dream — in their 30s, 50s, 60s, 70s. It made me rethink the idea of anything being “too late.” None of these stories treated time as an enemy. There’s no such thing as ‘too late.’ And seeing that firsthand from people with decades of perspective felt especially powerful.” – Student participant
“Reading the seniors’ books made me slow down and think about how much strength and resilience people carry with them, even when it isn’t visible on the surface. Their memories and reflections reminded me that everyone has lived through challenges, joys, and turning points that shape who they are. A lot of times, I found myself relating to the seniors’ stories and the experiences they shared. Even though we’re from different generations, some of their struggles and emotions felt familiar to me. Seeing how they were able to overcome their challenges with courage and resilience was truly inspirational. I will definitely carry some of the lessons and perspectives from their stories with me moving forward.” – Student participant
“Hearing about the seniors’ stories made me feel less anxious about the future; I learned a lot, like having art expressions as an important way to mediate life challenges and emotions, never give up and it’s never too late to start doing things you like.” – Student participant
Healing Through Words –– A Mini Collection
Heta Patel from "We The Art of Life" has compiled a short collection of stories from our "Intergenerational Book Collaborative" for the purpose of carrying forward the wisdom of elders to younger readers.
With hopes of bridging the gap between generations, this collection contains real stories from resilient individuals in the community. Together, they emphasize a vital life lesson: you are not what happens to you, but rather who you choose to become through the circumstances you face in life.
For best reading experience, access the zine here.
Intergenerational Conversations
This initiative paired participants with an intergenerational partner to meet twice a month and discuss curated conversation topics, with the overarching goal of bridging generational gaps and foster connections within our community.
Resources
Testimonials
“I realized how much I had in common with the students. Conversations were easy and affirming.” – Senior participant
“I liked exploring the discussion topics. I had to dig deep to find my motives and ways of thinking in the past. This gave me an opportunity to see where I’ve been.”
Intergenerational Resources
Finding Intergenerational Connection
If you feel inspired to seek out more experiences with the younger generations in your own life, here are a few easy ideas for ways you may engage:
Visit a playground
Watch a neighborhood children's sports game
Attend a community centre creative expression class (i.e., pottery, drawing, etc.) during times in which younger people are more likely to attend classes (i.e., evenings or weekends)
Audit a class at a community college or university
Volunteer (for example, via the BC Brain Wellness Program; or you may check out the Vancouver Repair Café and Volunteer Connector pages)
The Benefits of Intergenerational Connections
BCBWP Blog
Other
Cogenerate: Can Intergenerational Connection Heal Us?