Elders Share the Arts - Partners for Livable Communities

New York City, NY

Weekly workshops that bring together a diverse audience of participants in order to promote multi-cultural, intergenerational interaction within the community.

Elders Share the Arts (ESTA) links generations and cultures through programs that transform life experiences into dance, theater, writing, visual arts and storytelling. ESTA's programs facilitate relationships among community members, bringing together neighbors of all ages and ethnicities to build community, address community issues and celebrate common ground.

Nuts and Bolts:

Noting that there was no "meeting ground" where old and young neighbors could meet formally or informally to diffuse the tension and learn more about one another, Susan Perlstein of ESTA created Generating Community as the vehicle where the groups could talk--rather than complain--with one another.
Generating Community consists of a weekly workshop that brings older persons from nursing homes, senior and community centers together with youth from pre-school to high school age.
Each full program lasts about 30 sessions cover training in the skills of oral history and writing and producing a joint theater, dance, mural, or writing piece. This culmination of the program is presented in a public space in the community.
The full project takes two years to complete and depends upon the collaboration of three community groups: a senior group, a youth group, and an arts group.
Clear goals for the program and a list of specific responsibilities help keep the groups on track.
To inspire shared ownership among the groups, ESTA developed a "Partnership Packet" that includes a detailed definition and description of the overall project, the roles and responsibilities of each partner and a contract that commits the partners to sustaining the project through the two years.

Successes:

Participants record their perceptions of the other age group at the beginning and end of the project . Comments such as "Seniors are cranky people," and "They don't like us," become "They are my friends," and "We have fun together." For their part, older people grow from being afraid of the young people to giving them their telephone number.
Young and elderly participants continue their relationships beyond the life of the program: they walk each other home; the youngsters bring the older people groceries; they stop and exchange greetings on the street.

Keys to Success:

The Generating Communities program relies on a three-way partnership. Each group is a vital component in transforming the relationships in the community.
The program length allows for meaningful and sustained exchanges between participants.
Clear communication of the program, its goals and partner roles allow for understanding from the outset.

How can you do it?

Get in contact with organizations that serve disparate community elements, like the young and old, and offer programming that brings them together.
In thinking about programming, consider a long term commitment that extends the opportunities for participants to build meaningful and lasting relationships that insure greater cohesion in the community.
Bring in an arts organization that can facilitate a dialogue through cultural exchange.

For more information on this program: Elders Share the Arts