Love Libraries – Bridging the generation gap through reading

A school library’s reading project is helping to break down age barriers between teenagers and senior citizens.

The intergenerational initiative is proving “hugely beneficial” to both the teenage volunteers and the senior citizens they read to during their weekly visits, said Shelagh Toonen, Librarian at Elgin Academy.

Shelagh approached Anderson’s Care Home in the Moray town in June 2023 to ask if some of her older students could read to the residents, to help the pupils give back to the community.

Benefits

Shelagh said:

It’s been a huge learning curve for the pupils in many ways. The social interactions and sharing of experiences have been huge benefits. Our young people have also gained so much confidence after spending time with the residents. One pupil in particular had quite low self-esteem and really gained more from the attention.

Every single pupil has improved their communication skills, formed connections and made friends. 

The young people were shy about meeting their reading friends at first and faced a lot of questions – the residents like to hear all about their lives, families and what school is like now.

And it’s great for the pupils to hear about the residents’ lives, their school days, what they are interested in and to find out how other people live. The pupils learn on so many levels – about life, society, other people and relationships. It’s great to see. There’s also been increased empathy and respect for older people.

The residents get a lot out of the social interaction as well and it’s really stimulating for them. You hear them laughing with our kids and chatting away about things outside the care home and what life is like in the community. There’s been singing together too.

Partnership

The project – launched in 2023 – has been such a hit that the number of student readers has more than doubled this year, from six to 16. Even more pupils asked to take part but it was decided to cap numbers at 16.

Shelagh – who won Scotland’s Library and Information Professional of the Year award in 2018 – said:

We wanted a sustainable and long-lasting partnership, something we’d offer every year to our senior pupils as a wider achievement opportunity. They get a Saltire Award [these celebrate youth volunteering in Scotland] but it’s also brilliant for them to put on their CVs and applications to university.

Poetry readings and books about local history have proven very popular. Elgin Library staff have recommended books and newspapers for the pupils to use, with residents then sharing their own memories of Moray.

Shelagh said:

The pupils have learned a lot about the past, their own area, days gone by and events before they were born. That’s been wonderful. 

One of the highlights of the group last year was hearing how one of the residents had met a local writer called Jessie Kesson in the 1940s, in Elgin. We then shared a copy of Kesson’s book, The White Bird Passes, and pupils read passages from that. They all enjoyed really good discussions about life in Elgin during the Forties and Fifties, especially about prisoners of war and what it was like in Elgin at that time.

Happiness

It’s been a really special project and the connections between pupils, residents and staff are really good. The school even paid for pupils to buy flowers for all the residents and the home staff then made cookies for our pupils.

One pupil said the lady she was reading to is now such a special friend. She’s said she’s come on such a journey and has learned so much from her reading friend.

One of the residents said to a pupil, ‘grab happiness and smiles when you can’. She wrote that down in her log book so she would remember that advice.

Elgin Academy now has a strong bond with Anderson’s home. The school choir has performed there and pupils have made soup for residents and staff through the home economics department.

Elgin Academy Library also offers a reading programme with local primary schools and has partnered with local businesses to raise awareness during Mental Health Week, with pupil posters displayed and shared.

Learn more about the project at elginacademy.co.uk or follow the library on Facebook.