Last month Know My World facilitated a great Zoom Meet virtual cross-cultural exchange between high school students in Taiwan and high school Youth Diplomat students in Chicago. This exchange focused on How to foster community and positive relationships across generational divides.
The students in Taiwan wanted to explore social startup concepts related to how younger generation students can still connect with and support the elders of the Mayuan Village so the elders feel valued, regarded, and less lonely. This project began with the high school students presenting information they gathered through interviews they conducted with the elderly of the village. Using the responses they received they were able to identify important needs of the community members which they used to create meaningful action plans. It was evident to the high school students in Taiwan that a lot of elderly members feel disregarded and underappreciated. The students wanted to reignite the elders’ sense of purpose and plan to continue to meet with them for tea talks to learn more about their past and their stories, to help the elders with tasks around their homes, to learn how to cook traditional recipes, and to share some of their own cooking with the elders. It is clear that a desire to be included as part of the community has no age limit. The students’ desire to connect with the elders of the village and to take an eager interest in learning from and sharing with them is a true example of how to foster community and positive relationships across generational divides.
Their findings and action plans were shared with the Youth Diplomats so they could share their input and ideas around the student-led action plans as well as ways in which they connect with the elders in their family and communities as well.
A lot was packed into a 75 minute exchange, but the take away from both groups was powerful. “I am going to call my grandma who lives in Atlanta more often and try to do as many activities with her as I can when I go to visit her this summer. I want to maybe volunteer at an elderly home to give some of them company,” responded one Youth Diplomat student when asked, “What will you do to support the elders in your community?” “I will try to (when it’s safe) just have conversations, as we have learned, some elders believe their stories are not worth telling,” replied another.
Bringing awareness of elderly inclusion when it comes to the concept of community to our younger generations is incredibly important. “Many students reflected on how our American society treats and interacts with elders. This is an issue that many had never been forced to confront, so it was very thought provoking,” shared one of the managers of the Youth Diplomat program. Know My World is incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to facilitate such a meaningful exchange between two insightful groups of high school students.
