Gulbenkian Foundation - Intergenerational Projects

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has opened a scheme as part of their Ageing & Social Cohesion programme,  looking to award a total of 18 projects in the UK and Portugal of £30,000/€30,000 each to develop intergenerational pilot projects seeking to address a 21st century challenge.

The aim of this grants scheme over the next 12 months is to develop intergenerational pilot projects that address the 21st century challenge of an ageing population with solutions that enable contact across generations and that promote greater cohesion by combating linear generational divides. This can cover relationships within and outside of families.

What will they fund?

They are looking to fund projects that bring generations together. For the first time, the number of old people will surpass the number of young people. And, this is a huge challenge for us, in the UK, and abroad so they are seeking to fund projects that have real substance, which address issues of cultural understanding, of the environment or about loneliness in old age.

Primarily, they are looking for really interesting ideas. Organisations submitting applications need to be clear about their aims and objectives. Beyond that, they need to show how they are going to involve user groups. They need to show how the project could be replicable or scalable. But above all, they need to demonstrate the quality of the idea.

Criteria

Applications are invited from organisations with a proven track record of effective project delivery. All projects must fit within one or more of three sub-themes:

• Environment - They are interested in receiving project proposals that aim to encourage citizens to extend small actions and become active in the care of their local and global environment through positive facilitation and support by project managers.
• Migration and Intercultural issues - They welcome all projects that aim to improve cultural understanding across the generations, both within and across ethnic groups.
• Isolation and Loneliness - They welcome projects which seek to combat loneliness and isolation of young and/or older people through sensitive and imaginative activities.

Through this programme they seek to test a range of approaches to intergenerational working through the support of projects in the UK and Portugal which shall be closely supported, monitored and evaluated at every stage; the results of this analysis will be shared and disseminated nationally and transnationally to inform practice in local and national government, the voluntary sector and grassroots organisations.

The Stage 1 deadline for receipt of application forms is 12 noon on Monday 26th March 2010; successfully shortlisted projects will pass to Stage 2 and be required to submit a full application by 12 noon on 16th April 2010 and projects will be expected to run for 12 months.

How to apply

For more details please visit :

http://intergenerationall.org