Intergenerational Shared Sites: Policy and Practice Developments in the UK

Abstract

As public resources shrink, collaborative approaches to the delivery of services and programming at local and national levels are becoming valuable strategies for policymakers across the UK. Intergenerational practice represents one such approach and, over the past few decades, intergenerational activities have become increasingly well established across the UK and Europe as policymakers struggle with a steadily aging population and its impacts on public services and finances. However, while intergenerational practice itself has grown, our knowledge of whether or how it relates to contemporary policy concerns is negligible. This article therefore documents how the UK's national policy agenda has begun to recognise and acknowledge intergenerational practice in general and the potential of shared sites in particular. We highlight major policy drivers, document previous policy developments, and provide an overview of current practice in the field.

Keywords:

• intergenerational practice
• shared sites
• social policy

Acknowledgments

Editors' note: This paper is representative of the papers that will be published in the Journal of Intergenerational Relationship's upcoming special issue, volume 9, issue 4, that will feature intergenerational shared site initiatives.