Generations This Week

We're thrilled to have Bonnie Her, a junior studying Gerontology at San Diego State University, as part of our team this summer! We look forward to the energy and fresh ideas she will bring to our mission. You can learn more about Bonnie from her introductory blog. And Bonnie, welcome to Generations United!

Intergenerational Action on a Global Scale

Learn. Experience. Network. Share.

If you've already booked your flight and made hotel arrangements, great! We look forward to seeing you at our conference next month in Hawaii! If you're still on the fence, here are some reasons why you should attend: learn about innovative intergenerational research and practices from around the world, experience hands-on intergenerational opportunities, network with practitioners from over 10 countries and share ideas and resources that will impact your work and your community. Need more convincing? Check out our list of speakers, which includes Dr. Robert D. Putnam (political scientist, professor and author of the ground-breaking Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis and the best-selling Bowling Alone). Here's our conference agenda! Register today and save $100!

Click the image to play the trailer.

New Documentary on Intergenerational Experiences

Present Perfect, a feature-length documentary work-in-progress directed by Evan Briggs, explores the very real experience of aging in America - both growing up, and growing old. It was filmed in Seattle at the Providence Mount St. Vincent retirement home, which also houses a preschool, the Intergenerational Learning Center. Present Perfect powerfully captures the subtleties and complexities of the young children's interactions with the elderly residents, challenging us to consider what we're doing - and what we're not - to prepare future generations for what's to come. What value does a person have to others throughout their life? Are we asking for the right contributions from each other? How do we measure and define a successful life? While the film doesn't shy away from confronting some difficult realities, it is ultimately a life-affirming story of hope and the value of human connection at any age. Watch the trailer, then learn more.

Briefing: What's Behind Preschool Expulsion?

Join ZERO TO THREE and The National Black Child Development Institute, in cooperation with

Representative Rosa DeLauro, for a briefing Thurs., June 11, 2 - 3pm EDT at 2226 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. A distinguished panel will give an overview of the research and suggest how to better support social and emotional development and cultural competency. Learn more

Call for Papers

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy - Deadline: Sept. 1!

The editors of GrandFamilies invite authors to submit manuscripts that examine new or emerging theoretical conceptualization or applications, practice methodologies, program evaluation, and policy perspectives. International works that expand global knowledge and understanding about custodial grandparents are encouraged to submit. Learn more

Vote for Your Favorite Intergenerational Photos!

This year, we revived our annual intergenerational photo contest and thought we would open the voting up to our friends and get your feedback on this year's best intergenerational photos. Visit our photo contest and pick your favorite three!

Intergeneration Short Storytelling Contest 2015

Can you tell an intergenerational story in 300 words or less? If the answer is yes, then Intergeneration Month wants to hear from you. Submit an intergenerational story for a chance to win one of their 20 cash prizes of at least $100 in addition to a winner's certificate! ( Winning entries received before August 1 will receive an additional cash bonus!) See entry rules.

A Huge Thanks to Our Members and Supporters

Generations United thanks our members and supporters. Merci. Danke. Arigato. Asante. Gracias. Thank you. You can also honor a friend or loved one with a Tribute Gift. Donate to help us unleash the potential of an "age-amped" society.

Seeking Atlanta-based Multigenerational Families

A documentary filmmaker is looking for a story in and around the greater Atlanta region, preferably Atlanta proper, of a multigenerational family - 3 or more generations - living together. The filmmaker would love to learn about what led to the choices to live together, the benefits and challenges. This would be for a film project. If you know of any such family, please email me at [email protected], so we can pass on the info to the filmmaker.

Culture United

Close to Hugh

A fall from a ladder leaves Hugh, a 50-something art gallery owner, with a fractured vision of the pain - dying parents, shaky marriages, failure of every kind - suffered by those close to him. His friends are one missed ladder-rung from going under emotionally, physically, and financially. At the same time, a younger generation enters adulthood: the sons and daughters of Hugh's friends are about to graduate from high school and are already floating away from the gravitational pull of their parents. As complicated bonds form and break, the desires, terrors, and revelations of adolescence are mirrored in the second adolescence of the adults. Marina Endicott's Close to Hugh is about relationships between generations and how they're similar in certain ways.

Do you know of any films, books, music and TV shows with an intergenerational theme? Share them with us and we'll share in the weeks and months to come. Disclaimer: Inclusion in this section is not an endorsement from Generations United. Rather, it is a way of showing the multiplying impact when the arts and pop culture are age-advantaged.

Cool Ideas

The Amazing Worthington City Band

This week's cool idea is The Amazing Worthington City Band, a Minnesota-based intergenerational band whose membership ranges in age from 8th grade to older adults, or "the most wisdomed tune makers". T weet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas . You can also p ost them to our Intergenerational Connections Facebook Group . We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration . Learn more about The Amazing Worthington City Band .

Think Intergenerational - Funding Opportunities

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Grant to Massachusetts and Rhode Island Residents. The Tufts Health Plan Foundation is currently accepting requests in the following two focus areas: Policy and Advocacy. Support is provided for efforts that advance communities toward achieving age-friendly status. Funded programs should be collaborative and involve participants from all community arenas. Deadline: July 20, 2015. Learn more

Family Literacy. Awards ranging from $200 to $10,000 will be awarded to organizations that support family literacy. The program focuses on fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs, breaking the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy. Deadline: Rolling. Learn more

Generations United encourages you to submit intergenerational projects. If you have - or know of - any intergenerational funding opportunities, please send them to Alan King at [email protected]

Great Resources

Resources

Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities

In Going Solo, Dr. Laura E. Marshak, a psychologist and "solo parent," addresses the needs of mothers and fathers, and grandparents too, who are on their own raising children with disabilities as a result of choice or circumstance. Learn more

Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards, Under One Roof

and Connecting Generations

These resources are available for the shipping and handling price - Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards - $4.50, Under One Roof - $4.50, Connecting Generations - $5.50. Order your copies today!

Events

Conferences

Intergenerational Action on a Global Scale. Generations United, Seagull Schools, International Consortium of Intergenerational Programmes (ICIP), UNA-Hawaii and JANCA. Honolulu, HI. July 21-24, 2015. Learn more

Quote

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards." ~Soren Kierkegaard

Your Feedback Invited!

We want Generations This Week to be a real resource for you. Please send us any national news on intergenerational issues in addition to upcoming conferences, funding opportunities, reports and webinars. Local and state events can be shared in our Facebook group. Please also let us know how we can improve! My email is [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you!

Best,

Alan King

Communications Specialist

Generations United

Treat Yourself GRAND!

As a reader of Generations This Week, you can receive a complimentary subscription to GRAND, the online magazine by grandparents, for grandparents. That's a $19.95 value for 12 issues.

Apply for your subscription and get valuable offers, inspirational stories, and more. Each new, bimonthly issue will be delivered right to your inbox!