BOSTON, March 8, 2019 Bridges Together, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to providing training and tools on the art & science of intergenerational engagement, announced their grant opportunity today. Teachers, librarians, staff from senior centers, senior housing and human service agencies and others are invited to apply for a grant to receive free training on the award-winning BRIDGES Intergenerational (IG) Program Curriculum so that they can implement BRIDGES in their own communities during the Spring, 2019. Available to schools, senior organizations and human service agencies, Bridges Together will be awarding eight (8) communities with a BRIDGES program of their choice. Preference will be given to organizations and schools that serve or are committed to including vulnerable populations: four in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as four in other states. This grant is made possible by Tufts Health Plan Foundation and The Retirement Research Foundation.
The award-winning, evidence-based BRIDGES Program Curricula Suite unites older adults and young people in their own communities for shared experiences and cooperative learning. Through the BRIDGES Programs, generations grow in mutual respect, understanding, and friendship. Positive attitudes about aging are fostered and older adults are supported in their socio-emotional development. Studies have shown that positive attitudes about aging and social engagement can improve health and longevity. Additionally, the BRIDGES programs support national Common Core education standards as the students and older adults engage with one another through shared experiences and collaborative learning. Groups of about eight mature adults volunteer in the children's classroom, library, or community center over several weeks. Under the guidance of the teacher or trained staff member, the volunteers work in pairs with small groups of students. Together, the volunteers and students share their own life experiences and those of their families. These discussions are supplemented with creative, educational, fun projects that promote shared learning.
Details about these programs can be found in our BRIDGES Program Curricula Suite Overview. The BRIDGES Programs have been running across the United States since 1991, involving more than 20,000 older adults and youth. This Spring 2019 grant is to pilot an online training platform to expand the reach of BRIDGES. Applicants will have four BRIDGES program curricula from which to choose. Each involve older adults collaborating with children of different age groups. The four programs and their target ages for youth are:
- BRIDGES: Our Stories (K-3)
- BRIDGES: Growing Together (3-6)
- BRIDGES: Our Smarts (7-8)
- BRIDGES: Lifelong Journeys. (9-College)
Below is the timeline:
- March 15th @ 11:59 PM: Deadline to submit grant applications to Bridges Together
- March 20th: Notifications will be sent on status.
- April 13th: The online six-hour BRIDGES training course must be completed by your team together.
- June 21st: The six-week BRIDGES program must be completed.
To download a link to the grant application or more info, visit: https://www.bridgestogether.org/grant2019/
SOURCE Bridges Together, Inc.
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