280. The Joy Goes Both Ways: Vermont Youth Leaders in Aging with Marissa Birne

What happens when young people and older adults have meaningful opportunities to learn, volunteer, and build relationships together?

In this episode of Time for Teachership, host Lindsay Lyons talks with guest Marissa Birne about the power of intergenerational learning and her work developing Vermont Youth Leaders in Aging, a volunteer program that connects high school students with older adults in their communities.

Marissa shares why relationships are at the heart of intergenerational education, how connecting across generations can challenge age-based stereotypes, and what educators and community leaders can do to create more opportunities for young people and older adults to learn from one another.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Intergenerational learning is rooted in relationships — meaningful connections between young people and older adults can provide mentorship, encouragement, belonging, and mutual support.
• Freedom dreaming: Marissa envisions every young person having an older adult in their corner while also valuing aging as a time of continued learning, connection, and growth.
• Challenge age-based silos — schools and communities often separate people by age, limiting opportunities for different generations to learn from one another.
• Develop an age-positive mindset — authentic relationships can challenge stereotypes about both older adults and young people.
• Vermont Youth Leaders in Aging connects high school students with older adults through intergenerational volunteer groups facilitated by University of Vermont students.
• Build strong community partnerships — senior living communities, assisted living facilities, senior centers, libraries, and other organizations can become valuable partners in intergenerational programming.
• Make programs mutually beneficial by building activities around participants' interests, strengths, talents, and lived experiences.
• Use a balance of structure and flexibility — guided activities can help participants feel comfortable initially while allowing students and older adults to eventually lead conversations themselves.
• Intergenerational activities can take many forms, including storytelling, music, games, creative projects, cultural sharing, interviews, service projects, and collaborative learning.
• Expect initial nervousness — participants may be hesitant at first, but relationships and conversation can grow stronger with consistent opportunities to connect.
• Create opportunities for belonging — the episode highlights how simply having someone excited to see you can create a powerful sense of connection and purpose.
• Co-generation matters — involve students, older adults, and community partners in designing the program rather than creating it for them.
• Start locally — identify potential community partners, have conversations with students and older adults, and look for shared needs and interests.
• Resources for getting started include Generations United, CoGenerate, and Marc Freedman's How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations.
• Big takeaway: Intergenerational programs can help young and older people move beyond age-based assumptions, build meaningful relationships, and create more connected communities.

Grab the free resource connected to this episode at:

lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/280

Connect With Marissa Birne:

Website: https://www.uvm.edu/larnermed/centeronaging/vermont-youth-leaders-aging