*Now open: student leadership recruitment*
We are looking for 1-3 student leaders per school from college campuses across the country. Student leaders will be responsible for working with the Lifting Hearts team to coordinate activities, recruit participants and implement the 10-week program and celebration. No additional funding is required from students’ schools to participate. If you are interested in this leadership role and implementing Generation Mosaic at your college, please email [email protected].
Generation Mosaic info
Description
Generation Mosaic aims to bring together 10-15 college and/or graduate students and 10-15 independently living older adults in college towns across the US for a 10 week program during the academic year. This program aims to foster meaningful intergenerational relationships through shared activities, creative workshops and thematic discussions.
Weekly sessions will progress from casual, relationship-building activities to deeper conversations on topics related to healthcare, ageism and policy. Activities at the start of the program will include collective artmaking, book discussions, recipe sharing and storytelling. The final activity will be co-creation of a mosaic decorated “conversation” bench for placement on the campus or in the college town (though in some cases, we may switch to a different form of mosaic art, e.g. wall installation). A culminating event at the end of the program will invite participants and community members for a celebration of intergenerational unity.
Each campus program will receive approximately $2,500-$3,500 in funding to cover materials and transportation. Outcomes of this program will include a report highlighting insights gathered from discussions, participant journal compilations, new friendships and a lasting, public art installation to symbolize community connections.
This program is run by Lifting Hearts with the Arts and is generously sponsored by the Eisner Foundation’s Eisner Prize Fellowship.
Timeline
Week 1: Introductions (get-to-know you activities)
Week 2: Performing arts (name that tune, music/playlist building)
Week 3: Visual arts (collage-making, drawing, coloring)
Week 4: Literary arts (book club, writing)
Week 5: Culinary arts (recipe sharing, discussions)
Week 6: Storytelling arts (recorded story-sharing)
Week 7: Discussions (intergenerational perspectives on healthcare, policy, etc)
Week 8: Discussions (combatting stereotypes, ageism)
Week 9: Mosaic-making part 1
Week 10: Mosaic-making part 2
Post-week 10: Celebration event @ Mosaic Bench (or artwork)!
Supplies and budgeting
Each school will have designated 1-3 student leaders of the program. These leaders will participate in and oversee the program. Leaders for each school will receive mailed packages for each session with necessary materials for each week. Total program materials for each school will total approximately $150. The remainder of the budget will be split between transportation costs, mosaic bench-making costs and food for each session. Individuals can request reimbursements (zelle, venmo, etc for transportation) and the student leaders will be reimbursed for purchasing food/snacks. Mosaic materials will also be shipped to each school.
Participant recruitment
The program aims to have continued participation from 10-15 college students and 10-15 older adults living in the nearby community at each school.
Location
Meeting spaces will vary per school. The goal is to find a location either on campus or nearby campus that is broadly accessible to participants (e.g. public library).
Outcomes
Specific, tangible outcomes include a report highlighting insights gathered from discussions, participant journal compilations and a public art installation to symbolize community connections. Broader outcomes include formation of intergenerational friendships that exist beyond the program, reduced social isolation, enhanced communication, awareness of generational experiences, creative expression, collaborative critical thinking, increased sense of community belonging and mutual, intergenerational learning.
Future Goals
This is the pilot version of Generation Mosaic. We hope to collect feedback and eventually expand to other colleges across the country in the coming years.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please email Maya at [email protected]
Generation Mosaic aims to bring together 10-15 college and/or graduate students and 10-15 independently living older adults in college towns across the US for a 10 week program during the academic year. This program aims to foster meaningful intergenerational relationships through shared activities, creative workshops and thematic discussions.
Weekly sessions will progress from casual, relationship-building activities to deeper conversations on topics related to healthcare, ageism and policy. Activities at the start of the program will include collective artmaking, book discussions, recipe sharing and storytelling. The final activity will be co-creation of a mosaic decorated “conversation” bench for placement on the campus or in the college town (though in some cases, we may switch to a different form of mosaic art, e.g. wall installation). A culminating event at the end of the program will invite participants and community members for a celebration of intergenerational unity.
Each campus program will receive approximately $2,500-$3,500 in funding to cover materials and transportation. Outcomes of this program will include a report highlighting insights gathered from discussions, participant journal compilations, new friendships and a lasting, public art installation to symbolize community connections.
This program is run by Lifting Hearts with the Arts and is generously sponsored by the Eisner Foundation’s Eisner Prize Fellowship.
Timeline
Week 1: Introductions (get-to-know you activities)
Week 2: Performing arts (name that tune, music/playlist building)
Week 3: Visual arts (collage-making, drawing, coloring)
Week 4: Literary arts (book club, writing)
Week 5: Culinary arts (recipe sharing, discussions)
Week 6: Storytelling arts (recorded story-sharing)
Week 7: Discussions (intergenerational perspectives on healthcare, policy, etc)
Week 8: Discussions (combatting stereotypes, ageism)
Week 9: Mosaic-making part 1
Week 10: Mosaic-making part 2
Post-week 10: Celebration event @ Mosaic Bench (or artwork)!
Supplies and budgeting
Each school will have designated 1-3 student leaders of the program. These leaders will participate in and oversee the program. Leaders for each school will receive mailed packages for each session with necessary materials for each week. Total program materials for each school will total approximately $150. The remainder of the budget will be split between transportation costs, mosaic bench-making costs and food for each session. Individuals can request reimbursements (zelle, venmo, etc for transportation) and the student leaders will be reimbursed for purchasing food/snacks. Mosaic materials will also be shipped to each school.
Participant recruitment
The program aims to have continued participation from 10-15 college students and 10-15 older adults living in the nearby community at each school.
- Students: After 1-3 student leaders are established for each school, student recruitment will be through flyers, emails and club advertising. If more than 15 students are interested, participants will be determined through a simple application (weighing mostly on the ability of applicants to commit to the entire program length).
- Older adults: Promotion through community centers, public places/libraries, word of mouth. If more than 15 older adults are interested, participants will be determined through a simple application (weighing mostly on the ability of applicants to commit to the entire program length).
Location
Meeting spaces will vary per school. The goal is to find a location either on campus or nearby campus that is broadly accessible to participants (e.g. public library).
Outcomes
Specific, tangible outcomes include a report highlighting insights gathered from discussions, participant journal compilations and a public art installation to symbolize community connections. Broader outcomes include formation of intergenerational friendships that exist beyond the program, reduced social isolation, enhanced communication, awareness of generational experiences, creative expression, collaborative critical thinking, increased sense of community belonging and mutual, intergenerational learning.
Future Goals
This is the pilot version of Generation Mosaic. We hope to collect feedback and eventually expand to other colleges across the country in the coming years.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please email Maya at [email protected]
