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For anyone new to this delegate pack platform, Padlet, watch this short video to learn:

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This event starts at 13:00 on Tuesday 20 May 2025, and has a 90-minute duration.

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Find the guest speaker and researcher bios here for:

Louise Brown Nicholls

Alan Gow

Jo Thompson-Coon

Rebecca Whear

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This list of delegates is true as of 16 May 2025.

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Presentation slides from this event can be accessed in this document. By clicking on the box/image above, it will open. You are able to download and save this document through Padlet (please see tutorial video in item 1 of this delegate pack), but if you face any difficulties, please contact Victoria@befriending.co.uk

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Access the recording of Befriending Networks' research event on intergenerational practice here (closed captions are available):

https://youtu.be/zzL5IpOvgOI?si=_T7Pf6FQ_0UJF-Tu

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Befriending Networks Research Event on Intergenerational Practice

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This file contains the transcript of the welcome video, the two presentations and the Q+A segment. This transcript has been taken from the closed captions of the live event. If you have any questions, please contact Victoria@befriending.co.uk

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Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our anonymous feedback form. It is much appreciated. We have collated responses and data and you can access our report above.

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What is the effect of intergenerational activities on the wellbeing and mental health of older people? A systematic review.

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What is the effect of intergenerational activities on the wellbeing and mental health of older people? A systematic review.

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Befriending Networks reached out to Rebecca Whear and Joanna Thompson-Coon due to discovering this paper, published in 2023.

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Intergenerational Research - addressing need for measurement and outcomes

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A systematic review of the impacts of intergenerational engagement on older adults’ cognitive, social, and health outcomes. 

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A systematic review of the impacts of intergenerational engagement on older adults’ cognitive, social, and health outcomes. 

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Befriending Networks reached out to Louise A. Brown Nicholls and Alan J. Gow due to discovering this paper, published in 2021.

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Davie Grey Part Two: Intergenerational Befriending 

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Davie Grey Part Two: Intergenerational Befriending 

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https://youtu.be/BLiwhqlLztM Davie Grey Part Two was launched to follow up on Part One - Understanding Loneliness. This part picks up and follows Davie who is recently bereaved and lonely. Davie connects with a befriending project and experiences positive change - as does our young volunteer.

This video was created as a training tool to help volunteers consider what they hope to get out of their role.

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Davie Grey Part Two - A Short Story on Loneliness by Befriending Networks

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This is the link to the intergenerational engagement map referenced in Jo and Rebecca's presentation. https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/7-2-2024-12-26-1-2.html

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This is a video explaining how the intergenerational map works, as referenced in Jo and Rebecca's presentation.

https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/research/projects/igen/

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What is Intergenerational Practice?

Intergenerational practice aims to bring people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contributes to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive; building on the positive resources that younger and older people have to offer each other and those around them.

Bringing people of different generations together to take part in activities and projects such as gardening, reading or music has been shown to be helpful for both older people and children and young people. Projects have been shown to reduce feelings of loneliness, increase feelings of connection and understanding and to provide a sense of meaning and purpose to those who take part. We want to find out more about intergenerational activities and how they could be used in our health and social care system.

What we did?

We sought to address this research question: What is the role of intergenerational learning and practice in health and social care from the perspective of older people?

We worked closely with Fiona Campbell based at Newcastle University and colleagues based at the University of Sheffield who led a separate, but related, project exploring the effect of intergenerational learning and practice on the social and mental wellbeing of children and young people.

How did we do this?
We conducted the project in three stages:

In the first stage we brought together all the available research and evaluations to help us to understand:
- the range of intergenerational activities available,
- the ways in which the effects on older people of taking part in intergenerational activities have been measured,
- the types of research study that have been used to look at intergenerational activities and,
- the gaps in our knowledge.

In the second stage worked with a group of people involved in delivering and receiving intergenerational activities and those who commission this type of programme to decide a) what the most important research questions are from the perspectives of older people and b) where we need more information. As a group, we will decide which question(s) to answer in the third stage of the project, and how we should answer them.

In the third and final stage, we sought to answer one of the research questions using best practice methods and the evidence and evaluations found during the mapping stage.

The voices of people involved in delivering and receiving intergenerational activities will be at the heart of every stage of the project.

What have we produced during our research?

Evidence and Gap Map

We have produced an Evidence and Gap Map of intergenerational activity to identify and collect all the available evidence on the use of intergenerational activities. By identifying all the available evidence we hope to develop an understanding of what impact intergenerational activities might have on the health and wellbeing of older and younger people and issues such as loneliness. This understanding could help to shape future research and inform decisions made by policy-makers about including intergenerational interventions in health and social care services. The resulting evidence and gap map will help researchers and decision makers to access the available research.

We were invited to attend the Generations Working Together International conference to deliver a workshop on our map.

How to use the iGEN Evidence and Gap Map

Researcher Fiona Campbell explains how to navigate the map

Podcast

Dr Fiona Campbell speaks to collaborators and members of the public in relation to Intergenerational Research in the latest ScHARR Communicable Research Podcast.
Listen here:
Video

'Intergenerational practice is the beginning of an inclusive society'; collaboration and engagement, evidence mapping, and insights from a current project.

We shared our learning on intergenerational practice in celebration of Global International Week.Watch the video:

Blog

We write regular blogposts about our work. You can visit our blog here.

In this blog post we reflect on our visit to Glasgow to present at the Generations Working Together International conference:
Read Sharing, learning and linking
While here we share some of the findings from the Evidence and Gap map and some of our subsequent reviews:
Read Global Intergenerational Week 2023

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iGEN (Intergenerational practices and intergenerational learning in health and social care): Exploring the evidence from the perspective of older people - PenARC

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A research project to improve understanding of the role of intergenerational practice in health and social care from the perspective of older people.

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You can access Generations Working Together, a charity in Scotland that is a key organiser of Global Intergenerational Week (April 24-30 2025) https://generationsworkingtogether.org/

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Generations Working Together is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), charity number SC045851.

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As raised by an attendee, Nicola, Office of National Statistic (ONS) collects excellent data on communities and can be accessed here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/

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The UK's largest independent producer of official statistics and the recognised national statistical institute of the UK.

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Understanding and working with generations

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Understanding and working with generations

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I (Victoria) found this a really interesting read. The generational divide looks at different generations (millennials, Gen Z etc.,) and how best to communicate and engage that group with communications and learning opportunities. Really helped me from a development perspective and may benefit others in their communication or support strategy for different age groups.

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Top tips for running an intergenerational service 

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Top tips for running an intergenerational service 

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This was our blog post for Global Intergenerational Week, focused on top tips for running an intergenerational befriending project. https://befriending.co.uk/giw25-infographic/

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Top Tips for Running an Intergenerational Befriending Project #GIW25 - Befriending Networks

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For Global Intergenerational Week, we’re sharing a new resource to help you get started with intergenerational work. Befriending is a great way to build connections across the generations but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. These top tips will help you start developing and refining your ideas for your intergenerational activity. Download the […]

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This is the staff page of Aberdeen University which shares information on Professor John Swinton, as referenced by attendee, Angie. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/j.swinton

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Professor John Swinton | The University of Aberdeen

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I am a former member of the AHRC panel review committee, the British and Irish Association of Practical Theology, the International Academy of Practical Theology and the American Academy of Religion. I am also a member of the Scottish Association of Healthcare Chaplains and a registered member of the NMC. (Nursing and Midwifery Council) I sit on the National Board of Social Responsibility within the national Church of Scotland and the local boards of mission and ministry.

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If you are looking for further opportunities to engage with Befriending Networks, please see our training and events page https://befriending.co.uk/product-category/training-events/

This includes events advertised during the event:

Digital Masterclasses

Being a Befriender celebration events

Volunteer retainment

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Training & Events - Befriending Networks

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Our Training and Events are designed to supercharge your befriending project! With 30 years of experience in the sector, we’ve developed a programme of training and events that provides your team with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver quality befriending to individuals and communities. Check out our upcoming Vital Skills, Topical Training and Good Practice sessions for continued development and staff learning. To learn directly from other projects and build connections across the sector, book your place on one of our monthly Networking events, or enhance your knowledge and build your skillset by attending our next Masterclass. You can browse all of our upcoming training opportunities and events below. Have a team that needs training? Can’t find the training you need at the time you need it? Or would prefer training in person at your organisation? Contact our team to discuss bespoke training packages. Don’t miss out – some training sessions and events are only open to members of Befriending Networks! Join now to receive discounted booking fees and exclusive access to training and events.