Generation Two and the Power of Three:
Civic Engagement, Intergenerational Relationships and Child Advocacy

Generation Two is a universal initiative that strengthens the child’s (and volunteer’s) emotional and social development by dynamically linking the recruitment of senior citizen and young adult volunteers (civic engagement), with the knowledge gained by the volunteers from year long friendships (intergeneration relationships/child advocacy) with direct communications to members of the local community about children’s education and health needs (child advocacy).

Civic Engagement

Senior citizens and college students remain an underused source of social capital. Generation Two recruits volunteers through partnerships with senior citizen groups, local colleges, and other community organizations. The selection process involves information meetings, individual interviews and security checks. In-service training by mental health professionals and educators prepare and guide the volunteers in their relationship building and advocacy work.

Intergenerational Friendships

As part of the Generation Two project, all children in a participating first grade classroom are invited to weekly play and conversation meetings with an adult friend. G2 does not target children with special needs. The play and conversation meetings are thirty minutes long, the volunteer friends meet with each child on an individual basis, and the volunteers maintain their friendships with the same three or four children throughout the year. Generation Two is child-centered rather than curriculum-based. Children choose or initiate the direction and themes for a meeting. The Generation Two participants nurture the children’s ability to identify and communicate their thoughts and feelings. This experience represents an advocacy for children's emotional and social competence, i.e. recognize and use emotional resources and social skills to cope with school academic and social challenges before a crisis. A yearlong in-service program instructs the volunteers about the power and benefits of the play experience.

Child Advocacy

Generation Two builds on the experiences from the friends’ intergenerational relationships. The Generation Two adults work themselves and mobilize their peers to work with parents, educators and public officials on community issues that impact the young child’s education and health. Generation Two child advocates communicate to their community through their own social contacts and direct democratic strategies such as letter writing campaigns, petition drives, participation on citizen panels, and speaking engagements. Generation Two maintains a leadership network of friends who have worked in the schools and will continue to serve as part of grassroots child advocacy movements. This advocacy network reflects the best use of social capital on behalf of children.

Parent Involvement

Parent interest and participation vitalizes Generation Two. Parents are invited to the same weekly discussion groups and bi-monthly in-service training provided for the volunteers. Parents also can read weekly journals written by the volunteers that describe their child’s play and conversation. Parents are always invited to observe the weekly friendship building gatherings. Parents are part of the “Please Play Campaign” where G2 encourages parents to engage in 30 minute child-centered play at home. Parents also meet with the adult friends at scheduled times, during classroom special events or as needed.

Teacher Involvement

Teachers may observe G2 friendship building at any time and they may attend weekly volunteer discussion groups and bi-monthly in-service training. The volunteers also are invited into the classroom. The visits give the teachers an opportunity to observe the children’s learning and relationship styles in order to glean ideas about classroom management and individual children’s emotional needs when faced with academic demands.

Summary and Up-Date

The Generation Two Initiative listens to children and speaks to the community. Generation Two has recruited senior and young adult citizens to become emotional guides or friends, through play and conversation, to the children during a child’s first grade year. The University of Rochester has begun a long-term research project to study the effects of G2 on both children and their adult friends. Preliminary results suggest G2 child participants have a more positive attitude about learning and the older adult participants feel more useful and energetic.

In 2006, Generation Two recruited 50 volunteers for approximately 115 children at one urban and three suburban school sites. In 2008-2009, Generation Two expanded to approximately 85 volunteers that reach out to over 250 children and their families at three urban and three suburban schools. The plan is to expand the initiative in RCSD and to venture into a rural community to complete our outreach across socioeconomic demographics. In 2008 G2 advocates have partnered with the Finger Lake Health Systems Organization to support improved nutrition in elementary schools. Generation Two has evolved into a strong urban-suburban organization.