Bridging the generation gap

For the first time ever, there are more older people in the UK than there are children under 16. Yet a third of over-50s report feeling ‘left out’ of society, and a third of younger adults view people over 70 as being ‘incapable and incompetent’.

UK Older People’s Day on 1 October aims to challenge such attitudes by celebrating the contribution that older people make to society. This year’s event is all about bringing generations together and helping people to get to know others in their community, whatever their age.

One NPC-recommended charity, Magic Me, has been doing just this for over 20 years. The charity runs intergenerational arts projects, bringing together older and younger people through projects including photography, poetry and drama. Many participants are sceptical before they get involved. Some children think that the older people will be ‘moany’. Some older people think that the young people will be threatening. But the preconceptions of the older and younger participants are dispelled as they get to know each other. In the words of one participant: ‘I thought there would be a divide between the different groups. But I was wrong. It has just been amazing and it has taught me to have more tolerance and be more patient.’

Click here to:

Read more about Magic Me and NPC’s other older people charities
Read NPC’s short update on older people issues, When I’m 65
Read the full older people’s report, Grey matters
Visit Magic Me’s website to see events they are involved in

< back to news archive index