The GrandPals Project

GrandPals is an intergenerational program that connects an elementary school class with a small team of GrandPals (adults over 55) to engage in weekly, open conversations providing a path for knowledge transfer through storytelling. Students, teachers and GrandPals benefit through forming bonds, throughout the Program, that build understanding, mutual respect and an increased sense of belonging.

Our vision is to create a world of deeper intergenerational learning, storytelling and friendship. We do this by working with communities to implement the GrandPals program by providing training, simple feedback tools, how-to guides and a knowledgeable GrandPals staff member. The multi-week design of the program, over several months, enables relationship building and stronger connections between GrandPals and students.

By fostering such connections, we strive to reduce ageism and negative stereotypes between generations, while increasing the prevalence of meaningful intergenerational social connections within a community.

The pandemic has changed the way in which communities connect with one another and has invited us to rethink how GrandPals is run. In 2021, GrandPals teamed up with the Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care to implement GrandPals in more communities moving forward, specifically with the support of local age-friendly community initiatives.

To learn more…
More information about the GrandPals program is available at www.grandpals.ca.

There are four ways to get involved with GrandPals based on your availability and interests. You can get involved by becoming a:

1. GrandPal → meet with students and share your story
2. Community Champion → recruit and mobilize GrandPals
3. Program Coordinator → start up and coordinate the GrandPals program in your community
4. Host Teacher → enrich student learning by hosting GrandPals in your classroom

To express interest in getting involved, please contact the GrandPals Project Manager, Jules Myer, by emailing info@grandpals.ca.