U of C Chapter

“I started volunteering with LinkAges in high school and I have seen first hand the impact of it on the seniors’ quality of life. It puts a smile on their face when they are able to tell a joke or recount a story from their past. It also helps me learn from them and have empathy and understanding and grow in many ways. So I guess it’s a win-win situation 🙃”

“I have learnt soo much from volunteering with seniors. The biggest skill I’ve learnt I would say is empathy and how to shift my perspective and put myself in someone else’s shoes. There were multiple times where I had to put myself in the seniors’ shoes to understand where they’re coming from and fully understand what they mean. “

“I volunteer with LINKages because it allows for me to get involved in the community! The main thing I’ve learned from volunteering with the seniors is that socialization is important for mental health, no matter the age.” For the first question, I think it’s the fact that I found out LINKages is working on the intergenerational connection between the elders and people my age. I grew up with my grandparents and I really value them, so that’s why I want the older people in LINKages to feel that love I have for my grandparents.

“ I think what I learned the most from volunteering with LINKages is the story of every single person I have interacted with. The way their voice break a little whenever they talk about their past and the joy I hear from them whenever they remember the good memories. It reminds me how every single person has a story and that every individual experiences things differently. Sometimes, all they need is someone who would spend time with them and someone who would talk to them. They really enjoy spending time with us and I’m really grateful to have been a part of this. “

Throughout high school I was involved with seniors in my community through a variety of volunteer positions in the health care system. When I came to UofC for school in 2017, I heard about LINKages and thought it would be a perfect fit for me and something a little bit different than my past volunteering experiences. I think the biggest draw to LINKages for me was the ability to interact with unique individuals from a variety of backgrounds who I normally would not have the opportunity to. Over these past 3 years of volunteering with the UofC chapter I feel I have become a much more well-rounded and well-informed person from my interactions with the seniors. I don’t feel so much as though I’m “giving back,” because I strongly feel these intergenerational interactions are just as beneficial to myself as they are to the seniors!

I have learned so much from volunteering with the seniors at Murdoch Manor who attend our LINKages events. Right from my first experience with LINKages back in 2017, I realized that seniors and youth in our community really have more in common than not, and finding common topics of conversation really was not as difficult a task as I thought it was. I also noticed that in areas where my experiences differed with the seniors, the conversations that followed really just served to enlighten me and make me aware of other points of view/experiences I hadn’t previously considered. Perhaps most importantly, however, is that I’ve learned just how much fun one can have at events and encounters when intergenerational stigma and barriers are removed. I will always cherish the many fun (and maybe even slightly competitive!) games of Scrabble, Bingo, and other activities we take part in during our programs!

Gives me an opportunity to learn about all the amazing stories and experiences from the seniors. Volunteering at linkages provides me an opportunity to escape from the busy routine of university and have fun.

I have learned how to appreciate little things in life that we usually don’t even notice in our daily lives and how to stay positive in the face of adversity. They are truly our mentors.