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Intergenerational service-learning.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

In an effort to infuse gerontological content throughout a BSW curriculum, a series of mandated service-learning assignments was implemented to expose social work majors to work with older adults as well as offer real-life settings in which to apply their skills. The development and implementation of those assignments in agency settings is described in this paper. Additionally, the outcomes are presented in terms of the services and benefits provided, and the degree of satisfaction by the agencies and students with this pedagogical method.

Introduction

Research has shown that little or no gerontology content has been infused in most BSW programs (Scharlach et al., 2000). Yet a projected need for 60,000--70,000 social workers to work with older adults by 2010 has been cited (National Institute on Aging, 1987). Studies also demonstrate students' low interest in working with older adults (Kane, 1999; Berenbaum, 2000; Paton, Sat, Barber, & Holland, 2001). However, Piner (1997) found that when students had the opportunity to apply concepts learned in class with service-learning, their future career plans were more likely to include older adults. Another study showed that students who were assigned intergenerational service-learning projects were more likely than others to indicate that working with older adults would be interesting (Dorfman, Murty, Ingrain, & Evans, 2002).

As educators, we have a twofold challenge: to equip our BSW students with the competencies to confront whatever situations they may face with an aging population, and to stimulate interest in working with older adults. In an attempt to address these challenges, the College of Mount St. Joseph, a small liberal arts and sciences college located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio, implemented a series of mandated service-learning opportunities for BSW students not only to expose all of our majors to social work with older adults, but also to offer real-life settings to apply classroom knowledge. As a generalist program, our objective is not to have students specialize in aging studies, but rather to make certain that no social work major graduates without a solid foundation in aging competencies. Even if students do not pursue a career in aging or a masters in a gerontology concentration, these mandated service-learning assignments have provided each...

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