(This project now on hold to support Ukrainian refugees.)
Launch of the Collaborative Online Domestic and International Service-Learning (CODIS-L) Program pilot project
Generations collaborating for the common good through dialogue, mutual mentoring, and engagement.
The CoGenerations Project is a participatory action research (PAR) and practice effort designed to increase cross generational dialogue, mutual mentoring, and engagement to address shared societal concerns.
This project emerged from Rick Lathrop’s 28 years of experience at Global Service Corps (GSC), an international service-learning volunteer program launched in 1993 while a student at Fielding Graduate University, with the support of Fielding faculty, fellow students, and a small startup grant.
Over 80% of the Global Service Corps program volunteer participants were of the ages 18 – 30. Due to forced indefinite shutdown of GSC due to Covid in March 2020, and concurrent societal unrest particularly among youth, Rick decided to take lessons learned with GSC to work intergenerationally to address shared concerns.
The CoGenerations Project is developing again with the active involvement of Fielding faculty, alumni, and students and other interested adults of multiple generations. An initial advisory board has been formed to assist with the ongoing development of the project.
Initial project research with younger people identified key concerns shared across generations: Climate Change, Racial and Gender Issues, Economic and Educational Inequities, and Health Issues.
Research also indicated that while generations share these concerns, there is a lack of intergenerational communication and collaboration often based on mistrust and unequal access to resources
The CoGenerations Project plans to continue participatory action research and practice to better address these barriers, and particularly to host service-learning gatherings to more effectively dialogue, share experiences and expertise, and engage together to address shared societal concerns.
Introducing CoGenerations Advisors
For more information, info@cogenerationsproject.org