As part of its commitment to support people to fulfil their potential, Stepping Stones is a partner in a Grundtvig European Project called Together.

Alongside European Partners from disability organisations and Universities in Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and Portugal, the main goal of this project is to promote intergenerational dialogue and learning development. Working with retirees and people with learning disabilities the project hopes to achieve empowered citizens and active communities.

The two main aims of this project are:

  1. To improve senior and intergenerational learning methods as well as improving educational materials as workforce in community projects addressed to disabled people;
  2. To encourage volunteers from different ages, backgrounds and all other groups which will foster intergenerational solidarity in the field of educational intervention.

The Together project will over the next two years work to promote this aim.

Throughout the first 6 months of the project, each of the partners has been involved in a range of research activities to support the development of Together. These have included tasks such as:

  • Desktop research into other Intergenerational learning projects in Northern Ireland
  • Completion of focus groups and questionnaires to a variety of different people
  • Completion of experimental workshops with seniors as co trainers engaging adults with learning disabilities.

The first partner meeting was held in Padova, Italy in 2012. The second Partner meeting was held in Madrid in May 2013 where key findings from the activities completed were already reviewed and new plans set out for the next 6 months.

Staff from Stepping Stones NI will be attending the next partner meeting which will be held in November in Utrecht, Holland from the 6th – 8th November.