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| A good understanding and relationship between young and old are critical to the well-being of society and to healthy ageing. At TAF, we are constantly identifying opportunities for projects and activities that bring together older and younger people, enabling two-way communication, teaching and learning. | |  | Many of these projects come into being by chance – a casual conversation or observation by a TAF member or the local primary school principal can suddenly take on a life of it's own and suddenly develop into a project. A strong emphasis in the revised primary school curriculum is placed on the exploration of personal and family history and the immediate environment of the child. For example, topics such as When my grandparents were young are on the curriculum and also development of the verbal and oral skills listening to and retelling stories from their locality. Older people, with a wealth of information on life in the local community over the years, can act as informants in this process, as classroom visitors or outside of the school setting. Older people with a particular skill can also contribute, for example, showing gardening, use of video equipment or other technology, specific aspects of arts and crafts etc. | | | |
 TAF has excellent links with the local primary school in Summerhill, Dangan N.S., and intergenerational projects to date have included: An intergenerational arts and craft project entltled Reflections, where older people and local school children explored preconceptions that they held and changing attitudes that they experienced in relation to one another having worked jointly on thsi project. A Living History module, called Back to School, which involved members of the TAF returning to school for a day equiped with old books, satchels, lunches etc. and spoke to the children about how times had changed and what their experiences of education were. Live web links involving members of the TAF and local children, an updated version of the living history model, where both groups had the opportunity to discuss changes in education, past times, services, IT, attitudes, etc.
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