One Community - Many Generations

Many communities would like to engage citizens in a planning process, but do not have the knowledge, staffing or expertise to develop assessments and capture information for use in a decision-making process. In order to help meet this need, Penn State Extension, through a grant from AARP, developed the "One Community – Many Generations" program.  This program assists communities with citizen engagement in an intergenerational planning and decision-making process.

As individuals grow apart in today's society, communities need to come together. Communities not only provide a geographic location where people live, they also offer social interaction and common ties that bind their people together. Ideally, these community features and related opportunities should be available to benefit all within a community. As a means of striving for livable inclusive communities, various types of plans can be created.

The process used in "One Community – Many Generations" is explained in an easy to follow guide and includes an online community assessment tool. The guide explains a four-step process a community can follow to engage citizens of all ages in a data gathering event and an action planning forum. The assessment tool gathers feedback on a variety of indicators aimed at improving livability in a community. Once data has been gathered, a summary report is provided and can be used to plan a Community Action Forum. The process includes semi-structured intergenerational conversations focused on identifying issues of common concern and working together to identify priority issues and create action plans for community improvement.

The basic materials for the program are available to community leaders and action groups at no cost thanks to support provided by AARP. Consultation and facilitation services are also available to participating communities. Communities that use this product are asked to complete an application, provide a brief explanation of how they plan to use the product, and agree to provide a brief report regarding the results of the program.

For more information on this program, please visit Neal Fogle at nef3@psu.edu.