Something unique and exciting is taking place in the Belgian city of Ghent. Young people and older people, many of whom have never met before, are getting together to have fun, share experiences and learn from each other.
Across the city, people of all generations are gathering to take part in projects where they can work together, dance, cook, debate, and communicate their views and ideas.
For the young people involved this is a chance to gain insights from their older counterparts, while the older people taking part are getting out of the house, sharing their life experiences and trying new things.
Above all, those involved are developing bonds built on mutual understanding and respect.
This vibrant situation is all down to the intergenerational solidarity programme JongenOudinGent, which the Ghent city government has been running for the past ten years.
The programme continues to grow from strength to strength, with over 170 intergenerational projects, events and activities now taking place throughout the city’s urban areas, including cinema nights, theatre events, cooking groups and debating societies.
Following the social isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme notably brought together young and older people in Ghent to develop the powerful Humanesence Light Festival, an outdoor night-time arts festival designed to re-connect generations across the city.
A creative spark
The city’s intergenerational programme is the brainchild of Bie Hinnekint, Intergenerational Programme Director in Team Age-Friendly Ghent, in the city’s Department of Health and Care.
Bie, who was born in Ghent, realised that improving city policies supporting intergenerational engagement was important, but if real change was to take place then it was essential to get young and older people to actually meet face-to-face, build relationships and “make things grow.”
“At the time I was working in nursing homes in the city,” says Bie. “I wanted to bring in younger generations to the homes to take part in co-creation forums, because I could see that this brought energy to the lives of older residents and helped to create a feeling of community.
“Rudy Coddens, Ghent’s deputy mayor for senior citizen’s policy heard my vision and said he wanted to support the expansion of the idea across the city. He has been a big support of our plans and we would not be here without him.”
With the backing of the city government, and the senior citizen’s advisory council, the intergenerational plans developed quickly. A competition was developed to give small financial awards to community initiatives focused on the creation of intergenerational activities.
“That was the catalyst for the programme to take off and we have never looked back,” says Bie. “Every April, on the European Day of Intergenerational Solidarity, we launch the competition, with applicants coming from all over the city, including schools, volunteer organisations, NGOs and local businesses.
“We have an intergenerational jury called the ‘Big Bang’ who decide which initiatives should be given the prizes, and as a result there are now many innovative projects taking place across the city. It’s wonderful to see. ”
One of those projects is ‘Conversation Time,’ where secondary school students and older people from the local area come together to share lunch and debate topics of interest, such as loneliness, protecting nature and mental health.
There is also a very successful GENERATIONS movie cafe, with younger and older generations gathering to watch and discuss a range of movies close to their hearts.
After the film, everyone meets for a drink and a snack, while chatting about what they thought of the movie’s themes and what links they made between each other.
“Everyone involved loves these events,” says Bie. “Using the film as a starting point, an informal conversation is initiated. Its always fascinating and heart warming to hear the discussions between younger and older people.”
Other projects include the ‘Aroma’ initiative, in which older people and young people in local schools and universities and older people cook meals using left over vegetables. An intergenerational theatre group is planned for the coming months.
A telephone project run with the city’s primary schools has also been a big hit, with children making regular calls to older people who live alone. “This project is really helping to tackle isolation locally,” explains Bie. “Some of the conversations are very amusing!”
Toddlers who attend the ‘Sofie De Woelmuis’ day-care centre are also brought to meet the senior resident of the ‘Ramen en Poel’ residential care centre, where they like to crawl their way into the centre via a ramp. A super-long scarf also connects both buildings!
For Bie, the expansion of the intergenerational programme is crucial for community relations and the positive development of the city of Ghent.
“We have a policy where we put older people in care homes and children in schools and there are not many natural ways for them to connect,” she states. “But this does not work if you want to have a modern city where people are working together to build a better future for everyone. Our programme is showing that by bringing the generations together a city can really thrive.”
“Imagine growing up in a city that has created ‘cross-over intergenerational spaces,’ including buildings and outdoor areas, where people of all ages can stay in touch, such as a neighbourhood children’s theatre in a care home, or an art school connected to a seniors’ cafe. The many projects we run across the city are part of our journey to achieve this ultimate goal.”
Helping young people and “discovering myself”
For Myriam Smet, an older lady from the Ghent area, taking part in the programme’s intergenerational activities has been a very rewarding experience.
“I have always had a very busy life before I retired,” says Myriam. “Not having any children or grandchildren, I did not want to lose contact with the younger generation, so I had to start seeking activities that involved contact with younger people. I love to enjoy life and have fun.”
“At first I took part in the planning for the lights festival, and it’s really expanded from there. I’ve taken part in discussions on films, worked on intergenerational workshops with Altervelde university and I’m part of a local cooking club where I meet lots of young students.
“They teach me how to cook vegetarian meals and I teach them how to make good sauces!”
Being involved in the programme has also helped Myriam learn more about the city’s younger generations. “I like to do things that no one expects from older people,” she declares. “Rather than growing smaller, my world is growing bigger.
“I have gained new perspectives on young people who are often put into a box that they don’t care about anyone but themselves, but I have found that they are very concerned about others and the future and they put so much pressure on themselves. As an older person, I can bring my own life experiences, telling my story and hopefully helping them find their own way in life.”
Learning from each other
It is a similar story for 17-year-old Ghent student Dorothea Letsai, who is a member of Ghent’s Youth Council and was part of the Big Bang jury in 2023. She got involved with the programme to meet new people and find out what she could learn from older members of her community.
“I don’t think words can describe the amount of laughter and joy there is every time I get the chance to see them again,” says Dorothea. “I feel so moved and grateful to be close to people who have known life a little better than I have.
“I think it’s important that the younger and older generations continue to meet in different settings and contexts. It’s beneficial for both of us to see life from different perspectives and to listen to each other. Everyone has a story that they want to share which can help another person to cope.”
A vision for Ghent
Rudy Coddens, Deputy Mayor of Ghent for social policy, senior citizens policy and elderly care, explains that the intergenerational programme has make a hugely positive contribution to improving social relations in the city.
As a result of the work done, Ghent is now the first city in Flanders to be recognised as an ‘age-friendly city‘ by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“We strive in our city for an inclusive society where every elderly person has a full place and feels involved and respected,” says the Deputy Mayor. “Our communities today live in silos segregated by age, with most only having friends from their own generation. My aim is to connect generations through programmes and projects where relationships are encouraged.”
He continues: “I am very happy that during my administration, I was able to support the importance of intergenerational connections in our city and put it on the political agenda. Everyone now sees the added value of it.
“But it is the individual people, teachers, care workers, artists, volunteers, the civil servants who believe in the intergenerational co-creation, who undertake from their place in the structure in which they work, who make the difference.”
Next steps
While the intergenerational programme has been a major success for the city of Ghent, Bie Hinnekint believes there is much greater scope for expansion of intergeneration work in Ghent and other cities across Europe.
“There is still a feeling across society that this type of work is less important, but it is absolutely crucial if we are to develop just and prosperous future for all of our citizens,” she states.
“As well as improving infrastructure such as housing and transport in our cities, it is also crucial that we bring together different people in our societies to share ideas that can build a better future for everyone, whether that involves improving public and green spaces, building better libraries, or improving education.
“My dream is to expand these intergenerational projects with a team that works across European cities to develop strong foundations.
“Bringing young and older generation together really can be the spark for change.”
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For more information about the Ghent intergenerational solidarity programme JongenOudinGent, email Bie Hinnekint at Bie.Hinnekint@stad.gent
All photos and videos in the article are copyright the City of Ghent
