Aging & Social Change: Eleventh Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

The 21st century has sociodemographic challenges that have made countries worldwide realize the need to build more age-inclusive spaces to connect generations through socio-affective relationships. Chile is not exempted; however, there is a minimal report of these initiatives. This study responded: What government-sponsored intergenerational programs exist in Chile? How are they organized (structure and functioning)? And to what degree do Chilean government-sponsored intergenerational programs reflect “effective practices”? A two-phase exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach was used to identify and characterize intergenerational programs through a web-based search across Chilean ministries and a review of secondary data, and interviews with administrators, staff, and program participants (n=12). Five intergenerational programs, identified in connection with three ministries and two public policies, were described using eight indicators: Planning, Strategic Partnerships, Financing, Implementation, Evaluation, Impact, Dissemination, and Limitations and Challenges. The most significant high-quality practices reflected in these programs included: efforts to promote ongoing communication and relationship formation among program participants, demonstration of a commitment to collaboration and partnership, and the involvement of administrators and staff members who have skills and perspectives rooted in multiple disciplines and academic traditions. Explored programs demonstrated a level of effective practice that reflects quality standards in the areas of planning, development, and implementation, however, more needs to be done at the federal level to establish cross-sectoral, inter-ministerial efforts aimed at ensuring effective program evaluation and sharing of effective practices in terms of participant recruitment, staff training, and program replication.