A few decades of distance didn’t get in the way of the laughter, anecdotes and memories flowing during the intergenerational encounters between high school students from La Morlette and residents of Camille Pelletan in Cenon. As part of the BESTIE project, ‘Befriending for Social and Digital Inclusion’, and end-of-year unit of the AEPA class (activities for children and the elderly), around thirty high school students and elderly people got together to talk and exchange during three workshops. The aim was to create connections between generations that rarely meet, to exchange skills and encourage inclusion.

You can watch the video of this wonderful experiment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExiXO7zlLjo 

Workshop 1 - Games, memories and technology
On 12 December 2022, this group met for the first time, shared an afternoon snack and played games about how Cenon has changed over the years. For the occasion, the teenagers had designed a number of games and activities, including hangman, a timeline, a quiz, drawings, a memory game and a personalised Kahoot.
The participants left with smiles on their faces and the desire to come back.

Workshop 2 - Digital technology
“I know the basics of how to use my phone, but since the youngsters were here, I took the opportunity to ask them everything I don't know! You have to keep learning!” On 31 March 2023, the two groups met again. Residents were able to ask the teenagers questions about their mobile phones and get help in downloading an application or understanding how it works. Some residents, more expert than others, were able to proudly show that they too were ‘online'. The young people took their role as ‘experts’ very seriously and enjoyed accompanying these learners - a great way to promote the informal knowledge possessed by new generations.
This friendly event also allowed residents to discover new functionalities to make their daily lives easier. Plus, it was an opportunity to create a link between the “younger generation” and the residents, going well beyond technology, which was used here as a tool to create social connection. It was a real moment of humanity and exchange of skills.

Workshop 3 - Urban tour
After two preparatory sessions with the association Alternative Urbaine, which organises urban tours to discover little or poorly known districts of Bordeaux and the surrounding area, the young people created and led an urban tour using technology in Cenon. During the tour, the students set up a number of activities, including an immersion in street art culture, recounting the legend of the golden doe of Cenon, a dance workshop, an online quiz on the town of Cenon and a sensory experience. The young people also created QR codes for each stage, to encourage the rest of the group to use their phones and GPS.

The activities were carried out with enthusiasm and professionalism, in a warm and friendly atmosphere. During the preparation phase, the teenagers were asked to allow for potential difficulties when walking and not to focus on speed. They also learnt the keys to a good presentation, including how to create a friendly atmosphere and listening skills. This important initiative offered participants a rich experience of discovery and sharing, promoting social inclusion and intergenerational connection. The project is a concrete, successful example of implementing policies designed to combat exclusion and promote community living.
Congratulations to the teaching team, Isabelle Maisonobe, Anne Braun and Jean-Michel Martinez, the AEPA students and the school administration for organising the event!

General resources for the BESTIE project

• The Good Practice Report highlights the incredible efforts of those who are bringing generations and cultures together to improve digital skills learning through peer-to-peer interactions: Good Practice Report
• A Network Guide to creating community clubs for social and digital inclusion where members help each other: Network Guide
• A Digital Skills Toolkit for Everyday Life to support digital transformation and help people overcome these challenges: Digital Skills Toolkit
• A Learning Digital Platform bringing together all the results of the project for the development of digital skills, knowledge and social skills: Learning Digital Platform

All of these resources are available in English, French, Spanish and Greek.

[Translation EPALE France]