Youth group and care home meet up over digital world
A charity supporting Campbeltown’s young people joined forces with the town’s care home to celebrate Global Intergenerational Week.
Youth Impact youth worker Lesley Renton and Kintyre Care Home wellbeing coordinator Susan Ellis collaborated to organise a range of activities between Monday April 25 to Sunday May 1.
The international week aims to inspire individuals, groups and organisations to fully embrace the connection of people of all ages, especially the younger and older generations.
The Youth Impact and Kintyre Care Home project kicked off on Monday April 25, when the residents and young people enjoyed a quiz, hosted by Lesley and fellow youth worker Phil Edwards, over video conferencing platform Zoom. ‘Some of the young people’s questions were to do with modern technology and social media, and asked the residents to take a guess at what some of the terms meant, for example, writing LOL in messages,’ Lesley said.
‘The young people also explained that they regularly make plans with their friends using social media apps, and they asked how the residents made plans with their friends when they were teenagers. The questions from the care home residents also confused the young people as there were many things they didn’t know.
‘It was all good fun, and everyone enjoyed seeing each other on the big screen, as it has been a long time since we have been able to visit each other in person.’
The fun continued on Wednesday April 27 with a gift exchange.
‘The care home delivered a lovely big hamper of sweets, chocolate and crisps for our movie day, planned for the Sunday, along with some lovely words of wisdom from the residents to the young people,’ said Lesley. ‘The young people bought a lot of cakes, sweets and crisps to gift to the care home for their snacks for the movie day, along with letters and pictures they had drawn.’
Sunday’s movie day rounded off the week’s activities, when the young people and care home residents watched Mary Poppins.
The care home residents watched the film from the comfort of their lounge and the young people watched it from Youth Impact’s premises on Burnbank Street, on their new projector screen, assisted with the technical aspects by youth worker Dave Baggaley.
‘Even though we weren’t all together, we watched the film through the Watch Party function on Disney+ and had a video call before and after the film to chat,’ said Lesley.
The film was chosen by the care home residents on this occasion but the youngsters will choose the next film, as they intend to make it a regular event.
‘It was lovely to feel connected again, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the interaction,’ Lesley added.
‘Throughout the pandemic, we have tried to keep the connection going through writing letters, drawing pictures and so on, but with both the care home and Youth Impact now having better IT equipment, we find it easier to interact with each other and will continue to do so while we are unable to visit.’