Eighth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

This paper reports on an intergenerational project with LGBTQ participants from a Social Work practice perspective. The workshop consisted of five two-hour sessions during which participants engaged in small-group discussions and activities to explore how they envisioned their futures with the goal of promoting wellness, social support and community safety for all residents. Bringing together participants of different age groups to explore future planning, the intergenerational workshop provided an opportunity for participants to create sustaining social bonds across generations, which contribute to improved global wellness among members of socially excluded communities, such as LGBTQ-identified persons of all ages. Social connectedness across the lifespan has been shown to improve individual and community wellness by reducing social isolation and enhancing social engagement. Further, by including an advocacy component reaching helping professionals and community residents, the project raised awareness about LGBTQ realities, which contributes to reducing age and sexual orientation related biases among service providers and community members. The project therefore has implications not only for participants, but also for service provision to diverse clients and community safety for vulnerable persons. Further, the project contributed to reducing knowledge gaps by producing new scholarship and identifying areas in need of future inquiry.

Presenters

Justine McGovern
Chair and Associate Professor, Health Promotion and Nutrition Sciences, and Social Work, Lehman College (City University of New York), New York, United States

Mohan Vinjamuri

Porsha Hall

Lisa Sloan