Workshop Tips for Intergenerational Spaces

Ground Rules

•  What is said here stays here, what is learned here leaves here. We respect the confidentiality of all participants in order to cultivate a safe and productive dialogue. You can take and share ideas and comments from today – without attribution.
• Abide by the Made By Us Code of Conduct. 

Reminders for Everyone

• Every attendee chose to attend this workshop instead of going about their normal responsibilities (work, school, etc). Respect this time by offering your full participation and engagement with the activities.
• No group of people can speak for an entire generation, and no one is expected to here. Remember that you’re speaking for yourself.
• The context around us all is rapidly changing. It’s understandable that cultural and political news influences our comments and participation. What we generate here reflects a select group of people at a particular moment in time.
• Keep in mind that these two groups we’re bringing together are meant to bring a new and different perspective to each other. If you find some feedback troubling, unclear or inconsistent with your experience, by all means ask questions to understand, but consider that you may not ever align with the perspective shared.
• Questions are not challenges to your authority; they are illuminating a gap in understanding. They are an invitation to share more about your views.

Tips for Gen Z

• Leaders and staff at institutions know the challenges, constraints and incredible opportunities in their organizations and industries. They know what’s been tried and has failed, how decisions get made, and where resources and expertise can be found.
• You are here to be heard. Speak up (respectfully!)
• When possible, share anecdotes from your life or references to projects or examples you’ve seen online or in the media. This adds credibility to your recommendations and helps senior leaders understand the basis for your perspectives.

Tips for Staff and Leaders

• Gen Z’s experience ~just existing~ as young people is valuable for our work here. They know their world better than anyone and can speak to it.
• Recognize that it takes courage to share a point of view, especially a critical one, and especially for younger people in an institutional space.
• If you find yourself wanting to push back against ideas or explain previous decisions, we ask that you save that for internal discussions later and focus on using this time to listen and explore ideas together. Model graceful acceptance of feedback, showing that leaders can learn and adapt.
• Try to interpret comments as new data that helps construct and drive forward, rather than as a critique that tears down. On the road to an improved product, you can expect to encounter criticism of institutional aspects and of the work that’s already been done.