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Teen harpist shares her talent at a retirement center.
Youth & Elders
Bessie's Hope offers several programs designed to promote mutually beneficial relationships for youth and elders. Included in the programs are an at-risk youth program, literacy program, and a living history program. Rainbow Bridge is recognized as a model for community based service-learning organizations. The Youth and Elders program is mutually beneficial for all participants; young people gain self-esteem, respect for others, life skills, and academic skills. Elders receive companionship, intellectual stimulation, and the chance to feel useful. Youth are instructed through program workbooks, classroom instruction, one-on-one training, and exercises to ensure they are prepared to comfortably interact with their new elder friends.Kid Quote
"I love going to visit Jan because she doesn’t care what is going on with everything. She is just happy to see me and loves me no matter what." (Brandy, a teenage participant with youth group from Willow Green)Teen harpist shares her talent at a retirement center.
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Our Programs
Bessie's Hope Youth Initiatives
Youth and elders read scripts as choral reading.
Research has shown that Readers Theater can improve reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, and can be used to address academic standards in any and all subject areas. Youth reflect on their nursing home visits as they pertain to the attributes of having good character. These include caring, dedication, helping others, cooperation, courage, friendship, commitment, and courtesy.
I Value Character
Youth reflect on their nursing home visits as they pertain to the attributes of having good character. These include caring, dedication, helping others, cooperation, courage, friendship, commitment, listening, dependability, inclusion, compassion
At-risk Youth
Bessie’s Hope programs reach out to at-risk youth with positive options that give them heightened self-esteem, a sense of belonging and the joy of positively impacting the lives of others--alternatives to replace drugs and violence in their day to day life.
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The Intergenerational programs
Within the "Youth and Elders Program" of Bessie’s Hope, as in all our programs, all activities are done "with" the grandpartners, not "to" or "for". During each visit, there is a reading component. The youth are trained to position themselves so their grandpartners can also see the reading material. In this way, they are actively engaged while the youth read, and sometimes, they are asked to help. This is empowering to the elders, and for the youth -- reading confidence and fluency are increased. This picture was taken at Total Long Term Care, Cody Center during a visit with youth from the Golden Oak Learning Center.