This three-year research project was awarded ARC Linkage funding in 2026. Led by the University of Melbourne's REEaCh Centre with Torrens University's Centre for Healthy Sustainable Development, the project will generate evidence on four core elements of intergenerational programs: first, the environmental and structural conditions required for the built environment; second, the features of successful learning experiences for young children and older adults; and third, an evaluation framework to measure program outcomes and determine the places, spaces, and objects that facilitate meaningful intergenerational engagement. The fourth element will generate novel data on the impact of intergenerational practices on the professional wellbeing and retention of the care workforce. The project builds on established collaborations with aged-care and early learning partners in Victoria and South Australia.
The project will produce a co-designed model to support the scale-up of sustainable, co-located intergenerational programs providing significant social, learning and wellbeing benefits for older adults, children and their families, fostering thriving intergenerational communities.