SASKATOON — June 1 is National Intergenerational Day and a chance for Saskatoon Public Schools and Sherbrooke to celebrate the sole intergenerational program based in a long-term care home in North America.
The iGen Program, established in 2014, sees 25 Grade 6 students from across Saskatoon spend their entire school year learning at Sherbrooke—a long-term care home in Saskatoon. iGen is designed to provide close and continuing contact between long-term care residents and students. The conversations and activities residents and students engage in at Sherbrooke enhance the overall learning experience for everyone involved.
“iGen’s mission is to build a healthy community based on respect, reciprocity and relationships,” says Keri Albert, iGen founder and lead teacher. “The students and Elders become world changers together through building impactful connections during their 10-month journey and beyond.”
“The philosophy we follow at Sherbrooke – the Eden Alternative – states there are three plagues killing our seniors: loneliness, helplessness and boredom,” says Sherbrooke Community Centre’s Communications Leader Eric Anderson. “The iGen program and its amazing students and teachers do a wonderful job of alleviating those plagues while bringing plenty of joy and spontaneity to our community.”
Deb Schick has seen firsthand the many benefits of iGen. She had a daughter enrolled in the program.
“I saw my daughter’s empathy and compassion for others expand during her time in iGen,” says Schick. “It’s an incredible opportunity for students to grow and mature.”
Keri Albert is proud of how iGen has evolved in its 11 years, and hopeful that occasions like National Intergenerational Day will inspire more teachers and long-term care leaders across Canada to start their own iGen programs.
