Do You Have A Story To Tell?

Livingston Youth and Community Services (LYCS) is a community-based, after-school educational program that provides leadership, healthy life choices, and life skills to students Grades 2-12.

As well as educational programs, LYCS also provides community services opportunities. Intergenerational programming is an important aspect of creating a community that is founded on respect for all ages. These programs help create a bridge across the generations by dispelling inaccurate stereotypes, promoting cultural traditions, and building a sense of personal and societal identity while encouraging tolerance.

For students the benefits include enhanced communication skills, increased self-esteem, development of problem-solving abilities, and fostering friendships across generations. Positive attitudes can be developed regarding a sense of purpose, and community service. For the elderly participants the benefits include enhanced socialization, a decrease in feelings of loneliness, boredom, and depression. Research shows that interactions with the younger generation enriches their lives and provides a rejuvenated sense of purpose, and increased coping skills for personal struggles.

Expressive Arts is a wonderful, fun way in which to connect people. As an Expressive Arts Therapist, Susan Ridley has experienced first-hand the healing qualities of the arts as a way to resolve issues and concerns, and to unite diverse groups of people. LYCS has the following upcoming Expressive Arts programs that are open to the Livingston Community:

Living History Project (ongoing)

The idea behind this project is to team up a student with a senior resident. We will ask the senior resident to choose 4 objects, like a photo or treasured item and the student will interview and encourage the senior resident to talk about what these objects mean to them. We will film the interview and collect a series of Living Histories to be used as a physical exhibition during the Livingston 2013 Centennial Celebrations, as well as create a website. The resident/family will need to approve the filmed segment prior to inclusion in the exhibition and online posting.
 
Mirror Project (start Oct/Nov 2011)

This is a research project around the question of identity, "Who am I?" The idea behind this project is to create a conversation (bridge) between teens and senior residents in an effort to create a better understanding of two groups of people who are often misunderstood. There will be a pre and post attitudinal survey (on attitudes around age), as well as a survey on the experience of creating mirrors. The mirrors will be created after a discussion on what is identity, i.e. how I look, nationality, likes/dislikes ... and participants will then be asked to decorate a mirror on what they see/feel about themselves. The mirrors will then be exhibited. Those viewing the mirrors will be asked to fill out a survey on the exhibition. Often what one creates is not necessarily what others see. I will also create a website for an online exhibition of these mirrors.

PhotoVoice (start Nov/Feb)

This is also a research project with pre and post attitudinal surveys. Teens and seniors will be asked to take photographs on what "life means to them?" What do they value most? It is hoped that common values will be discovered during this creative process. Participants then choose the photos they want to exhibit, and will write a paragraph (or two) about what that photo means to them. We will have a physical exhibition, as well as an exhibition online. Participants retain copyright of photos and give permission for the exhibition and online display.

If you are interested in participating in any of these projects please email your name and contact information to Susan Ridley at lycs@livingstonlycs.org, or visit www.livingstonlycs.org for more information.