The project ComeON recognises that intergenerational solidarity provides innovative answers to the growing separation between generations and demographic changes in Europe.

The immediate benefits include the digital inclusion of older people, the fall of the intergenerational divide, and the acquisition and practice of life skills for young people. The ComeOn project took these a step further by stimulating the creation of intergenerational teams who were challenged to improve the life of their communities through social innovation projects.

Older and young people together became protagonists in their own communities tackling simultaneously the challenges of active aging, 21st century life skills and responsible citizenship – all for the benefits of personal, social and community development.

Description

Objectives and Activities

The Overall Objective of ComeON was to promote active citizenship of both elderly and young people through a formative intergenerational volunteering experience rooted in the development of social innovation projects aimed at community improvements.

By participating in a face-to-face and virtual learning experience, seniors, secondary school students and teachers from project countries reinforced and developed skills such as learning to learn, problem-solving and entrepreneurship, digital, social, civic and cultural competences and media literacy.

ICDI was responsible for the literature review (download below), as well as for the pilot and learning activities in The Netherlands. We partnered with De Rijdende Popschool (The Rolling Popschool), this is a new, innovative concept whereby deprived villages in the North of The Netherlands are visited regularly to start up and coach local popbands. In ComeOn! De Rijdende Popschool initiated music sessions with elderly people and children, to make music together. It was considered a huge success.

For more information, please visit the project website: