The Experience Corps program in Boston is hosted by Generations Incorporated. Since 1998, this innovative partnership has engaged older adults in results-driven intergenerational programs that inspire students and impact schools. Experience Corps members in Boston assist youth through literacy coaching and mentoring. Boston students receiving one-on-one literacy instruction have improved their literacy skills nearly three times as much as those not receiving special instruction. Through our programs, volunteers help elementary age children recover lost ground before reading problems affect their academic performance and limit their future opportunities.
Since many of our members live in the neighborhoods we serve, relationships developed during our programs are extending beyond the school day, as they bond with families and improve neighborhood relations. It is easy to measure literacy gains, but the intergenerational relationships are invaluable. For over a decade, Generations Incorporated has worked to connect older adults with the children who need them most.
Currently, the Boston program is exploring expansion possibilities in new communities within Greater Boston and in the fall will launch in Revere, MA, a community with similar literacy struggles as Boston and a large population of older adults. Also, Boston is in the beginning phase of a new leadership program for older adults, and seeks persons who are willing to take on management roles, recruiting and training roles, and other leadership functions.
Experience Corps members from Boston recently participated in the Day of Action, a nation-wide celebration of service and community engagement. Click here to see photos and learn more!
To read the latest on Generations Incorporated and Experience Corps in the Boston area, visit our blog.
