Program in Westminster-Branson looks to form connections over generations

A program based in the neighbourhood of Westminster-Branson is bringing together seniors and youth, giving them the chance to share their life experiences with each other.

The Link Generations program was first developed by UpSocial Canada, a non-profit that connects underserved communities with programming meant to increase belonging.

UpSocial then partners with local hubs, in this case, the Unison Health and Community Services, to bring the programming to neighbourhoods like Westminster-Branson.

The Link Generations program works to form connections across generations. It was originally developed in Maryland and was one of three programs out of dozens that community members in this area voted for.

After an original pilot program in the community, Circle of Care, a non-profit offering home and community support services for seniors in the GTA, was tapped to run the Link Generation program in Westermister Branson neighbourhood, to help form connections across generations.

“We all have that innate need to connect and to feel seen and heard,” said Mila Robinson, the volunteer resources coordinator at Circle of Care.

Robinson tells The Green Line the program helps to address problems made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want to address feelings of isolation with seniors and bridge the intergenerational gap that is forever growing … There’s ageism on both ends and we want to address those problems,” said Robinson.

Circle of Care started training local youth, including 16-year-old Kaitlyn Joo, to have themed conversations with seniors every week for five weeks.

“Because I’m Korean, most of my family lives in Korea so I don’t have connections to my grandparents, such as my grandmother, so I talk to elderly people to understand their own walk of life,” said Joo.

“During my time speaking to them, I realized that everyone ages so this program would be a wonderful way to understand the process of aging is something I’m going to go through inevitably,” added Joo.

Lou Vandelman, a program participant, has 88 years of wisdom to share with Toronto’s youth.

Link Generations was also a chance for him to glimpse into the unique struggles of a generation he has no other connection to.

“Whoever thought, in my lifetime, that to buy a house would cost me over a million and a half dollars. The houses we bought cost us $35,000.”

In the end, Vandelman believes knowledge is a two-way street. And that youth have as much to offer as seniors.

“I firmly believe that you don’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been,” said Vandelman.

“We have to learn from them, how they are surviving and we have to help them to know us. And we have to learn how to help them. Because we have to coexist. We live in the same areas and we have to know about each other.”