ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
A collaboration between five organizations with the goal of helping foster community engagement and helping vulnerable communities.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Meet the People:
Little Brothers-Friends of Elderly Boston
Uju Onchie
Intergenerational Program Manager
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly Boston (LBFE Boston)
Cynthia Wilkerson
Executive Director
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly Boston (LBFE Boston)
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Northeastern University:
Emily Avery-Miller
Associate Teaching Professor in English
Northeastern University (NEU)
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Mount Pleasant Home:
Lynn Muller
Mount Pleasant Home
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Peterborough Center:
Tracy Hunt
Peterborough Senior Center
sdfsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Learn More about this Collaboration:
1. Can you first tell us a bit about this collaboration?
Hear from Emily Avery-Miller of Northeastern University
This collaboration started as part of a unique, co-created design with LBFE Boston. Cynthia Wilkerson and I spent about six months working together to develop a partnership and curriculum that would fully integrate LBFE’s mission and NU Writing Program goals.
A big priority for us was trying to make this a co-creative relationship between older and younger adults, where all felt their voices, creativity, and unique identities were valued. We received
guidance and support from the NU Community Engaged Fellows program and the Reckonings Project.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
2. What does this project and collaboration mean for your respective organization?
Hear from Emily Avery-Miller of Northeastern University
I think that this partnership means a lot for Northeastern…exploring impact on our wider networks and communities are core values of the universities. The Writing Program offers these opportunities as part of core coursework…at key moments at the very beginning and closing of their undergraduate careers (First-Year Writing and Advanced Writing Disciplines).
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
3. What impact do you see happening thus far? And what do you hope to see more of coming out of this partnership?
Hear from Uju Onochie of Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly Boston and Emily Avery-Miller of Northeastern University
UO:
For many of my students, they have cultivated strong bonds with the older adults they see…since their first day of joining me at the CitySites program. And with the older adults, they are grateful every week to see the new students they’ve made. What I hope to see more of in this project is maybe a continuation of the bonds made through the semester.
ssss
EA:
We are also building stronger networks that connect institutions like Northeastern with citywide service providers like LBFE Boston and community hubs like Mount Pleasant Home, Peterborough Senior Center, and others.
We look forward to co-creating narrative materials like podcasts, oral histories, and other narrative work as well as building accessible platforms to share those stories.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
4. What kind of organizations and people would this collaboration look to work with? How can others join?
Hear from Uju Onochie of Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly Boston and Emily Avery-Miller of Northeastern University
UO:
LBFE Boston looks to partner with people and organizations that look to give back and support their communities, especially older adults. This demographic tends to get looked over and LBFE Boston looks to address this.
To collaborate or co-create with LBFE, other potential community partners can get in contact with our Executive Director – Cynthia Wilkerson, or the Senior Program Manager for the CitySites program – Stephenine Hisman-Hou.
sdssssssss
EA:
The best part of this project is there is something for everyone! Students can enroll in community-engaged sections of first-year and advanced writing. We hope to continue and expand our partnerships with local centers that serve older adults. We especially hope to facilitate storytelling spaces that bring forward traditionally marginalized voices including those immigrant and BIPOC-identifying communities.