outreach & education

Intergenerational Arts & Learning Programme

Scene from "On The River" - inter-generational theatre based on the experience of London Dockers and their families

Age Exchange is committed to providing opportunities for learning betwen generations. There are currently 2 major programmes that aim to promote learning, understanding and creativity between generations, each of which uses reminiscence as its source.

Residencies for Schools

Our 12 month arts residencies in schools aim to explore memory and community through reminiscence activity. Alongside the teaching of interpersonal and reminiscence skills, students learn a range of technical skills relevant to contemporary visual and performing arts practice. These can include:

• drawing
  
• painting
• design & illustration
• web design
• new & digital media skills
• storytelling and narrative skills
• documentary film making
• acting technique & stage craft

Please visit The Library of Experience at Brockley Primary School as an example of one of our projects. The library also contains the archive relating to the recent touring exhibition The Heart of Lewisham which focuses on people's memories of growing up and living in Lewisham from the Great War to the present day.

Reminiscence in the National Curriculum
Intergenerational workshops targeting History and Citizenship
For Key Stages 1- 4

"A wonderful bridge with living history. It enriched our topic and gave the elders kudos. It made the topic real!"

"The children were inspired by the whole experience."

"Excellent! The workshop related completely to the National Curriculum."

Evaluation from teachers from Lewisham and Greenwich schools

Living History workshops for London schools combine first hand reminiscence by older people with participatory drama, the handling of period artefacts and the use of sound and film archive material. Workshops, which last 1hour 30 mins, may take place at our unique Reminiscence Centre in Blackheath or at your own school.

Choose from the following:

• The Home front - Blitz and Evacuation (Featured by BBC Radio 4)
  
• Memories of the Holocaust
• Across the Seven Seas - The Windrush Experience
• Schooldays and Childhood
• London Docks and the Thames Community
• Special Objects - Past and present (Featured by BBC Education)
  

For more information contact David Savill, Jenni Newnham or Suzanne Lockett at Age Exchange

Scene from "Lodz Ghetto" - an Age Exchange Youth Theatre production based on the testimonial of Helen Aronson

 

Outreach

Process-based Reminiscence Projects

Age Exchange has worked in over 200 hospitals, day centres and residential homes in Greater London. Age Exchange project workers run reminiscence groups alongside regular staff members. The projects are designed to train healthcare staff in reminiscence skills, while facilitating enjoyable weekly reminiscence sessions for their residents. We also offer reminiscence projects specifically designed for clients with mental health needs or for those in hospice care.
Enquiries to Bernie Arigho

Arts Residencies

We also operate a residency programme whereby we can conduct an extended project with a particular group or community over some months culminating in a public presentation or small festival. Such residencies have been based in museums and in community and day centres and are tailored to the needs of the partner organization.
Enquiries to Bernie Arigho

our work on the 'Creative Ageing' Project >>

Universities and Colleges Lecture Programme

Each year Age Exchange lectures at universities and colleges around the country. Universities have approached the charity in order that it shares its expertise in reminiscence arts and health with graduates and undergraduates from diverse academic disciplines.

find out more here >>

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