In a very special partnership, Wollondilly Council’s Library and Children’s Services teams have hosted the first session of an intergenerational program between residents at RSL Lifecare, John Goodlet Manor and the children from Wollondilly Preschool.

Six older participants were delighted to visit the children in the preschool and enjoyed morning tea, singing, storytelling, reminiscing and painting last Wednesday.

The session was developed around the Library’s childhood themed reminiscence kit. Young and old engaged with the kit’s books, games, knitted booties and bonnets, with one of the older participants reminiscing about knitting some for her own family.

The group got creative with some portrait painting and talked about what they wanted to be when they grew up, including one child announcing they wanted to be a doctor.

There were many beautiful connections made, with one older participant helping a child when they had gotten paint on their arm, and lots of collaborative painting between young and old.

The program was specifically designed to benefit older people and pre-school aged children attending care services, with the aim to improve wellbeing through social interaction and memory-sharing.

This session was the first of an 8-week program and was organised by the Council’s Community Engagement Librarian, and proudly funded by NSW Government, Connecting Seniors Grant.

There will be further sessions run in Term 2 with Picton High School, Wollondilly Anglican College and Waratah Highlands Village.