Maintaining your program

What does intergenerational connection cost?

What we learnt

We learnt that the biggest cost in developing and facilitating an intergenerational program was time. Time was required to:

co-develop a program structure and activity that responds to a community context with community stakeholders;
create relationships with other community stakeholders to ensure recruitment of participants, appropriate locations and activities for the programs;
ensure that the activity was appropriate to the group and to refine if needed;
to seek out existing community service or school programs that an intergenerational program could leverage.

We learnt that the success of intergenerational programs was dependent on at least one committed community stakeholder who was given time and resources to build relationships and pursue the development of a program. Once a network of relationships had formed around a program, the commitment of individuals within the network was key to sustainability of the program over time.

Cost benefit analysis

The major cost to communities would be resourcing the stakeholders to find and leverage other stakeholders. There are also resource implications for developing programs, and finding locations and activities that may lead to sustainable programs.

One of the more interesting benefits to community stakeholders that invest this time was improved efficiencies elsewhere – in particular the opportunity to centralise social programming, leading to resource efficiencies and to improved opportunities for creation of networks or collaboration. Social programs that bridge unique community demographics, such as age, gender, and cultural background are often more cohesive, effective and efficient.

Cost-benefit spreadsheet

What to do next

1

Find your group of invested community stakeholders across councils, libraries, schools, community services and locations.

2

Work as a group to decide and document

your program’s response to a community context;
the location, activities and people for your program

3

Resource your program using the cost benefit analysis template and the list of resourcing possibilities below.

Resourcing

Line items

Budget based on 12 week x 60 minute program

Possible savings

Room hire

Up to $1000

Community organization and or Council partnerships can assist in waiving these costs.
Locating programs at libraries or at schools can cut these costs.

Craft materials
Games and puzzles
Ingredients for cooking
Pens and stationery

Up to $500

These can be donated or provided by community partners.
Community gardens, or other community spaces may provide the activity impetus.

Facilitator hire
Translation for CALD communities
Printing costs
Videographer/Photographer

Up to $3000
Up to $3000

Up to $200
Up to $1000 for three visits

Partnership with library or school or leveraging existing social programs that are participant led can assist with facilitation costs.
Ensuring dual language participation across older and younger cohorts can assist with translation costs Digitising materials can cut this cost
Asking participants to send photos or video can help cut this cost if amateur video is appropriate. Program manager or Facilitator can also take video if required.