Summary
Donegal Age Friendly Programme has developed a number of intergenerational initiatives over the past two years where young people and older people have been brought together to collaborate on a common interest led by a facilitator with expertise in the area of said common interest. The aim is to promote social inclusion and develop stronger relationships between older people, children and young people.
Music came up as something all ages could relate to and has been proven to improve the quality of life for older people in numerous ways. This led to the establishment of Ceol Le Chéile Donegal’s Choir of Ages. This choir has had a membership of up to 150 people in the past 2 years, Children ages from 6 to 14 and Older Adults. It has helped all members to overcome symptoms of depression, anxiety, self-confidence and loneliness. It has built new relationships and has alleviated any fears the age groups had for regarding each other.
Veronica McCarron came on board as music director to conduct them, Veronica’s professional conducting included voice training, breathing techniques, elocution lessons, choreography and building the confidence to sing in front of others which was a huge challenge for everyone. The choir members met for choir rehearsals every week, this included social activities and tea breaks where the group got time to bond. They have performed in a lot of venues including theatres, churches, nursing homes and to a national audience.
A qualitative research evaluation was carried out on the choir in 2019 highlighting the benefits of it and the impact it has had on the lives of participants. Some said it’s their weekly medicine. The choir continues to grow & has secured funding for a further 2 years. It stands at the moment with a membership of 100 people (70 older and 30 younger)
Ceol le Cheile Report Ceol le Cheile Summary Report
Key facts
Main target group: Both younger and older people (i.e. intergenerational)
Other target group(s): Multigenerational - Parents of kids helped and family members of Older People helped
Sector(s): Education, Health, Transportation
Desired outcome for older people:
Build and maintain relationships
- Ageism
- Accessibility
- Dementia
- Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
- Intergenerational activities
- Inclusion
- Participation