Guest Dorothy Keenan is the Volunteer Coordinator for GrandInvolve. As one of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors 50+ Initiative, this intergenerational, intercultural program was designed to increase Boomer volunteers in local Title I Schools. GrandInvolve volunteers can help local teachers and students through mentoring, helping with reading and math, and/or helping out in the classroom. Once aspect of GrandInvolve is an After School Knitting Club (I want to join these guys, but my children says I am better with computers than I am with knitting/ crocheting!). In its third year, the program has over 100 volunteers?in local schools.
While this program is great for keeping older adults active and engaged in the community, I also see GrandInvolve?having a side effect:?providing children, teenagers, and young adults with positive interactions with older adults is one of the?best ways to build our workforce to care for Americans as we age. The number of providers entering the healthcare workforce with careers dedicated to aging is shrinking. GrandInvolve has the potential to pay off in dividends,?so help me recruit younger people to enter the exciting world of geriatrics!
If you would like to volunteer, or if your school would like to?partner with?GrandInvole volunteers,?email Dorothy at GrandInvolve@gmail.com
The Impact of Intergenerational Volunteering in School publication by Dorothy Keenan (p. 28).
GrandInvolve Volunteers in Action!
**All photographs provided by Dorothy Keenan with permission of the featured volunteers
Leave a Reply