A program where generations connect as part of high school life.

“The students coming to see us has been the highlight of my week.” 

– Older participant

What’s the idea?

In Sydney, a weekly program is building powerful connections between Year 10 students and older people living in residential care – with immense benefits flowing to both age groups.

The Seniors and Teens Empathy Program, created by Samantha Heron of Heart and Soul Story, and delivered in partnership with local schools and care providers, pairs each student with a resident for weekly visits over a school term.

Light prompts and themes help get conversations started. But they’re rarely needed for long. As connections build, conversations take on a life of their own – and that’s where the magic happens.

At the end of the program, students and residents come together to reflect, share what they’ve learned, and express appreciation – sometimes through letters, stories or small gifts.

The outcomes of STEP are subtle but profound. Students who begin unsure or hesitant leave with new confidence, empathy, and a changed view of older people – no longer seeing them as ‘others’, but as rich individuals with humour, insight and stories to share.

“It did break the stereotypical barrier for a lot of people doing this program, that the elderly generation are kind of outcasts of society… when in reality they’re just people that have gone through a lot more life than we have – that have so many more experiences than we have, and a lot more lessons to teach.

So it’s super valuable to listen to these experiences and you can find that you can integrate a lot of that into your own life.”

– Student participant

For older participants, the impact is just as real. They report feeling more connected, valued, and uplifted. One participant reflected: “The kids coming to see us has been the highlight of my week”, while another shared simply: “It gives me something to look forward to.”

What does it help us imagine?

The STEP program is a simple but powerful example of how easily we can bring generations back into connection – within the places many of us already spend our time.

By building these sorts of interactions into school life and aged care settings, it starts to dissolve the separation, assumptions and biases that often exist between age groups. In their place, we see greater empathy, understanding and wellbeing emerging across generations.

It also shows what it can look like when aged care is opened up to the wider community. Today, these spaces are often siloed from community life, and the staff working within them are overstretched. Models like this make it possible for others to share the load – bringing presence, curiosity, energy and time to improve residents’ days.

Importantly, the STEP program also helps shift how we see older people. Not just as recipients of care, but as people with something vital to offer – whose experiences, perspectives and presence can meaningfully shape the lives of younger generations.

In a time when both younger and older people can feel isolated and undervalued in different ways, this kind of connection shouldn’t be seen as a ‘nice to have’. It’s an essential element of wellbeing at every age – and something entirely within our grasp to bring to life.

What can you do with this?

You don’t need a formal program to begin.

Start where you are

• Have an older person or teenager in your life or neighbourhood? Think about how you could connect them.
• Reach out to a local aged care home and ask about visiting, volunteering, or starting a small intergenerational activity
• Explore programs like Heart and Soul Story, or find similar initiatives in your area through the Australian Institute for Intergenerational Practice Program Map

Take it a step further

• Talk to your local school about partnering with an aged care provider to deliver a program like this – you might like to reach out to Samantha at Heart and Soul Story for guidance or support.
• Think about how your community could create regular spaces for intergenerational connection – not just one-off interactions.