Orkney Isles

Welcome to the Orkney Isles Network

The next Orkney Isles Network meeting will be held on Tuesday 14th November, 1.30pm – 3.30pm at the same venue as in March 2023 – Orkney Library, 44 Junction Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1AG.

Book your place today

If you would like to share your intergenerational project or would like some support starting an intergenerational project contact Louisa Turner

We were sad to hear that Pamela Scott was unable to carry on her role as the Orkney Isles Network Coordinator and are now in search of her replacement. Pamela is a great loss to Generations Working Together and the intergenerational scene in the Orkney Isles, we wish her well in her new ventures and hope to see her again at our meetings in the future.

There is certainly lots of great intergenerational interactions happening across the Orkney Isles. One such project was facilitated by Pamela Scott of Voluntary Action Orkney and who was until recently the volunteer Network Coordinator with Generations Working Together.

240 Reasons to Smile

An intergenerational befriending project with the aim to make the residents of Eunson Kloss smile, saw pupils from P6/7 Glaitness Primary School visit Eunson Kloss every Wednesday afternoon, for an hour, during term 4. The Eunson Kloss residents attended the sessions each week. The pupils would choose from a variety of board games or larger resources such as Kurling, Nerf guns or soft bowls and ask a resident to join them. Both pupils and residents were supported by Adult Befriending Service staff, a school support for learning assistant and a social care assistant.
P6/7 at Glaitness Primary School had planned an enterprise called Reasons to Smile. Their class teacher said the focus was to help pupils realise there can be reward in things other than financial. Working in partnership with the school, the Adult Befriending Service was able to facilitate by providing resources and supporting the pupils in achieving their outcomes. The project would also bring people together from different generations in purposeful activities which would promote respect between generations and contribute to more connected communities. Inclusion, building relationships, developing communication and banishing stereotypical views were also at the forefront of the project. It was hoped that playing games together would develop skills in communication, improve patience and resilience, increase self-esteem and confidence and encourage compassion, respect and empathy.

A baseline assessment was carried out before the project began and the same questions were asked after attending the group for the term.
When the pupils were asked if they had made the people at Eunson Kloss smile, there was a resounding YES from all the pupils. They all said they would come back again if they were asked.
All Eunson Kloss residents who took part in the evaluation said the pupils had made them smile. They all said they had enjoyed interacting with the pupils. They said they felt less lonely and isolated since attending the group, saying their self-confidence had increased. The residents said the group had helped them feel part of the wider community.

Meeting Notes

March 2023 Meeting Notes