News

Course helps communication across generations

5 Jun 2026

Developing new skills to understand and engage with older residents has recently been the focus of a ten-week programme for young people in the Village. Organised by The Connections Bus Project and funded by Girton Town Charity, The Generation Game has been a very successful initiative – for participants, organisers and recipients.

Sessions have centred around helping to build confidence and communication skills through a range of learning experiences to prepare for real-life interactions and community involvement.

Dementia awareness
A key element was becoming a Dementia Friend to gain a wider understanding of the condition and its everyday challenges, as well as exploring how small and thoughtful actions can make a significant difference.

First aid training was another important part of the programme, with participants acquiring practical, life-saving knowledge and also how to respond calmly and effectively in emergency situations.

Care home visit
Towards the end of the ten weeks, the young people had the opportunity to apply what they had learned during a visit to Arlington Manor Care Home. The group visited the lounge area to chat with residents, listen to their stories and take part in shared activities, demonstrating the importance of interpersonal skills such as communication, active listening and respect, as well as encouraging empathy and understanding across generations.

Communication skills
Course Leader Andrea Cowley said: “Across all the sessions we placed strong emphasis on communication and confidence-building. Young people practised essential interpersonal skills such as introducing themselves, maintaining eye contact and offering a handshake when meeting someone new, all simple but important skills for social, educational and future employment settings. Alongside this, participants developed teamwork, active listening and peer support skills.

“Overall, the project helped to build confidence, foster new friendships, and encourage intergenerational connections where both young and older people could learn from one another.

“To conclude we held a Graduation event and invited parents and visitors to come along and hear participants explain what they had learned during the course and find out about further volunteering opportunities. All were awarded certificates and parents completed feedback forms which were very positive. Comments included: ‘It was good for their confidence’ and ‘These are life skills which hopefully more young people will learn. Thank you so much’.

Connections Bus Project
The Connections Bus Project is very grateful to Girton Town Charity for funding this project and facilitating such valuable opportunities. In addition to The Generation Game and Babysitting Courses, it also runs Girton Youth Club on Tuesdays from 7-8.30pm at Cotton Hall which is open to all young people from School Years 7 - 11.