Grand times and “grand friends” are assured through a program bridging the generation gap in the southern Brisbane suburb of Wishart.
St Catherine’s Catholic Primary Wishart School is running the pilot program that connects Year 6 students with residents at TriCare Retirement Community Mount Gravatt.
After weeks of connecting online, students were able to meet their ‘grand friends’ in person earlier this month, before the school holiday break.
Principal Paul Mitchell said throughout Term 3 students engaged with residents through weekly online sessions, to foster empathy, understanding, and mutual respect between generations.
“While the online sessions provided a great foundation for the program, meeting face-to-face allowed for deeper connections and more heartfelt exchanges that technology simply couldn’t capture,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The Year 6 students were especially thrilled to celebrate their ‘grand friend’ Doug’s 100th birthday in person.”
Year 6 student Hugh said he was enjoying learning about how different their life was.
“Things like how they kept their food cold, or how they got to school many years ago.”
Mr Mitchell said the intergenerational program was a collaborative effort with Assistant Principal of Religious Education Matthew Armstrong and The Community Crusade Founder Sarah Brady.
“The decision to initiate the program was rooted in our school’s mission to build a compassionate and inclusive community,” he said.
“It’s about building bridges that connect young and old, helping our students develop a deeper appreciation for the lives that shaped the world they live in today.”
He said in Term 4 they would be looking to refine the program and make it a permanent feature of the Year 6 curriculum at the Brisbane Catholic Education school.
