Upcoming Webinar - Play for All Ages: Designing Intergenerational Spaces That Build Connections and Encourage Learning

Join us tomorrow, March 7th from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm ET where we will explore how to develop joyful intergenerational spaces that foster playful learning, creativity, and meaningful cross-age connections. We will have presentations by Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, professor of psychology at Temple University and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, and Stephanie Firestone, senior strategic policy advisor with AARP International. All are welcome to attend this free event. Register for this webinar today!

Meet Generations United's New and Re-elected Board Members!

We are pleased to share that our Board of Directors recently elected Trent Stamp, The Eisner Foundation, to the board. In addition, Cody Burch, GHR Healthcare, was elected treasurer, and Joseph Cuticelli, Phoenix3 Holdings LLC; Pamela Smith, The Alex Smith Foundation; and Barb Quantance, AARP were all re-elected for another term. We are grateful for their service and are excited to introduce you to them. Learn more about our board members here.

Promoting Peer Support in Child Welfare

Peer support programs help ensure children and caregivers in kinship/grandfamilies can navigate the child welfare and related systems and connect with existing services alongside individuals who truly understand what they are going through.

Have you or someone you know benefitted from peer support? Share your story with us so we can uplift the power of peers! Click here to share!

FFTA 20th Annual Public Policy Institute

The Family Focused Treatment Association’s 20th Annual Public Policy Institute, Empowering Collaborative Change Through Unity, will be held on May 6-7, 2024, in Washington, DC. Generations United’s Deputy Executive Director, Jaia Lent, one of several guest speakers at the Institute, will discuss the new kin-specific licensing or approval standards and how you can engage with the new Kinship Unity Agenda to take action to support the well-being of kinship families across the nation. Learn more.

New Resource Alert!

Explore the resilience, challenges, and triumphs of grandfamilies in our latest resource, "Through the Eyes of Grandfamilies: A Conversation with Five Grandfamily Caregivers," a companion to Generations United’s 2023 State of Grandfamilies Report. Children growing up in grandfamilies face unique mental health and emotional wellness challenges. Our publication delves into the personal accounts of five grandfamily caregivers, shedding light on their experiences and the solutions that have helped them navigate the complex landscape of emotional wellness and mental health.

Read their stories and gain insights into the strength and adaptability of these families here.

This resource briefly describes compassion fatigue and provides tips to help you, as direct service professionals, help caregivers recognize when they have compassion fatigue and encourage them to get the support they need. We are grateful to our partners at ZERO TO THREE for their leadership in producing these monthly resources and to Network Subject Matter Experts and Generations United GRAND Voices Gail Engel and Sarah Smalls for their reviews. Access the resource.

As always, the Network is accepting individual requests for assistance from professionals who work in systems or organizations that serve kinship/grandfamilies. Fill out the request assistance form to receive support from our team. Learn more and sign up to access our resources!

Echoes Montessori

Echoes Montessori, an early learning and care program in Adelaide, Australia, is a partnership between SA Montessori and ECH, one of the largest integrated providers of retirement village accommodation and aging care services in South Australia. Developed by Barbara Langford and her daughter Jessica, this program opened in January 2022. The name represents the belief that the influence and inspiration of elders ‘echoes’ through the generations and is carried forward into the future. Both SA Montessori and ECH prepare their professionals in a way that promotes meaningful growth and positive outcomes for every unique individual. Read more about Echoes Montessori here.

Human Values in Aging Newsletter

The Human Values in Aging newsletter is edited by Dr. Harry (Rick) Moody (pictured) and published by the Creative Longevity and Wisdom Program of Fielding Graduate University. Dr. Moody retired as Vice President for Academic Affairs with AARP and is the author of many scholarly articles and books including Aging: Concepts and Controversies and The Five Stages of the Soul. The monthly Human Values in Aging newsletter contains items of interest about positive aging, quotations, and brief and timely announcements. To submit items of interest or subscribe to the newsletter, contact: Dr. Moody.