The ILI - Montgomery County, MD Chapter

Key partners: Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Process: Following the short course on intergenerational programming, ILI participants have become more involved in Interages' strategic planning process and program development efforts. This includes work with partnering agencies to expand the program to additional sites (mostly schools), broaden the range of educational enrichment activities and intergenerational opportunities throughout the County, and pilot new strategies for engaging parents of children being mentored by senior volunteers.

ILI-inspired projects:

• Beauty of Aging - Intergenerational photography program: High school photography students, after receiving aging sensitivity training, take photos of intergenerational programs in action as well as portraits of senior volunteers for high school art show and community art displays.

This photograph is from the JCA Interages Beauty of Aging program, a program that emerged from the ILI training and the leadership of ILI graduates.

• Develop new programs and expand existing programs:
• An ILI graduate has partnered with other JCA Interages volunteers to explore how to address community challenges, such as affordable housing for low-income seniors and youth aging out of the foster care system, with an intergenerational strategy.
• ILI graduates have become Program Coordinators for multiple Intergenerational Bridges programs, connecting older adult volunteers with students who are English Language Learners for mentoring and tutoring.

• Family Connections: ILI graduates have explored ways to increase family involvement and share early literacy education tips for the home.
• ILI Champions: ILI graduates have spoken to community groups about the importance of intergenerational connections and shared information about meaningful volunteer opportunities with children and youth in their community.