Ernie, 80 and Cedar, 13, show off the rocks they decorated with symbols based on their conversation.Last month, I traveled to Chautauqua, a 150-year-old institute in western New York that brings thousands of people together for summer programs focused on lifelong...
As colleagues from different generations (X and millennial), Marci Alboher and Duncan Magidson have been leading talks and workshops sharing their insights about working across generations. As they plan, they often text furiously, sharing ideas and reflections. In...
The 21 civic leaders taking part in CoGenerate’s Voices fellowship are a diverse group. They range in age from 15 to 81, and each focuses on a different aspect of civic work. But they’re all well-versed in the ins and outs of effective intergenerational collaboration....
https://youtu.be/DMmhqffPUWc As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are the most age-diverse society in human history — and the most age-segregated. Our next chapter will depend on our ability to work across generations.In commemoration of the United...
Why do you do the civic or community work that you do?
I’m the Founder and Executive Director of Youth Climate Collaborative, a global, youth-led organization equipping young climate leaders with the skills, access, and relationships to sustain and scale their leadership and initiatives. I am motivated by knowing that what I say and do matters, no matter the scale of impact. I am motivated by a better future that’s possible and would improve life for all beings.
How is cogeneration helping (or how will it help) you succeed?
Cogeneration strengthens the fabric of society. When we are working together, we are combining generations of wisdom, institutional knowledge, diverse perspectives and lived experiences, and that is so powerful for making change happen effectively and collaboratively. Mammoth issues like climate change and decentralization of power require us to work across generations with open hearts and minds. We can’t do this without each other.
Got one tip to help other civic leaders collaborate more effectively with older or younger people?
Share a meal together and get to know one another better. This means learning about each other’s upbringings, worldviews, and values to understand each other as people first. This leads to increased comfort and openness to discover alignment and shared goals, and figure out how to work together moving forward.
What’s something giving you joy or hope right now?
My peers. I am amazed by the talent of my peers and their kindness – how eager we are to help each other on our changemaking journeys. I don’t feel alone, and that’s thanks to them.