Free cultural workshops hope to bring seniors, youth together

WATERLOO — A new pilot project aims to create bridges between different generations and cultures through free workshops.

Students, seniors and everyone in between gathered to learn how to cook Indian food Monday night at the new program’s first workshop.

“It’s a way to socialize and learn in a comfortable environment,” said John Lewis, an associate professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, who launched the Bridges pilot project in conjunction with the City of Waterloo.

Lewis has spent years on the city’s age-friendly advisory committee and often looks for new ways to engage older adults with the wider community.

“We kept hearing from people who wanted programs that are not just senior focused.”

Lewis also said for older adults who emigrate to Canada, integrating in the community can be even more of a challenge. The idea for the program came out of a desire to blend intergenerational learning with cultural learning.

The Bridges team recruits older adults who are interested in teaching a cultural skill or craft like cooking. Anyone can attend the workshops.

The first one drew a crowd of 35 people. It wasn’t just about learning how to cook roti and curries, Lewis said. There were discussions about where certain recipes come from and how dishes vary across different parts of India.

He said the first workshop demonstrated that it is a great way for older adults to engage with youth and gives them opportunities to learn from each other.

“After the cooking we all sat down and enjoyed a meal together.”

The project received a federal grant of just over $19,000 through the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Lewis said the program has received a lot of support from the community, from using a communal kitchen at Wilfrid Laurier University to obtaining free food donated by the FreshCo grocery store at Westmount Road and Ottawa Street in Kitchener.

There will be four more workshops before the pilot project ends. After that Lewis said he hopes to work with the city to find a sustainable way to maintain the program.

The next free class is a Métis beading workshop on Nov. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s University College in Waterloo.

To learn more about the program, visit the website at www.bridgeswaterloo.com.