News
March 2007
Contact between generations reduces age discrimination
New research for Age Concern has found that stereotyping and age discrimination are more likely because of a lack of contact between different age groups. Two thirds of those taking part thought that the under 30s and over 70s have little in common, with five out of six over 65s saying they would not share interests or values with under 35s.
However, the research found that young people who had older friends were 82 per cent less likely to hold stereotyped views of older people than young people who did not have older friends.
Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern said: “When people of different ages come together, as happens in our intergenerational projects, we can banish the stereotypes and recognise everyone’s individuality and points of difference."
The intergenerational projects run by Age Concern include younger people teaching older people new IT skills and older people teaching new parents how to wean their babies.