JOY Together

Children & youth

Jun 21

Who: JOY

What: Innovative initiative enabling the elderly and the young to create and share great experiences

Where: Bergen

Project period: 2022-2025

Web: JOY

“JOY TOGETHER” is an innovative initiative enabling the elderly and the young to create and share great experiences. This happens regularly at nursing homes and care homes when the generations meet together with well prepared and motivated teenagers activating elderly in all conditions. Together they enjoy talking, singing, playing games, adapted physical activities and entertainment performed by the younger ones.

The overall purpose of “JOY TOGETHER” is to contribute to activity and community for both youth and the elderly. The teenagers develop their sense of mastery, ability to take responsibility, the experience of being important to others, and valuable work experience. In addition, “JOY TOGETHER” offers belonging, friendship and many social activities in a community that we can see the young people greatly appreciate. For the elderly, this type of activities can prevent loneliness, promote mental and physical health, which in turn makes life meaningful and increases their quality of life.

The “JOY TOGETHER” project was tried out on a larger scale in 2022 with support from the Grieg Foundation. 27 teenagers and 6 nursing and care homes in Bergen participated in the project. To ensure stability and predictability in the project, JOY chose a combination of voluntary efforts and paid work for the young ones. The feedback from nursing homes, care homes, young people and the elderly was that the intergenerational meetings were a great success. They all want more of these fantastic and valuable experiences together.

The JOY non-profit organization will now, with support from the Grieg Foundation, expand the "JOY TOGETHER" initiative throughout the city of Bergen. By mobilizing the local communities to take care of their elderly and their young, JOY's ambition is to have established cooperation with at least three districts in the city of Bergen within the next three years. In the first stage of the projects this will involve 18 nursing and care homes, about 500 elderly, and more than 100 teenagers. All nursing homes and care homes in the districts will be offered visits from young people twice a month for activity and fellowship. And this is only the beginning with unlimited need for more valuable experiences between generations.