Written by Ishita Ralli
Photo credit: Si Ming Zheng
As a second-year Psychology student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a diverse background, I have always been fascinated by people and their stories. Having lived in India and South Africa and moved around frequently, I have observed that while people love to talk and connect, genuine connections are becoming increasingly rare in our generation. Despite being in a generation that claims to be more connected than ever through social media and technology, we might be the generation that is the least connected. This lack of genuine connection is something that I have noticed and wondered about.
During my reading break, I had the opportunity to volunteer as an Arts and Intergenerational Community Building Dialogue Facilitator at the Intergenertaional Dialogue Workshop – a collaboration between the UBC Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) and the Vancouver Arts Coquitlam Society (VACS), held on February 17, 2024. VACS is a vibrant hub where individuals can express their stories through art. It is a community-driven non-profit organization that supports artists and creative communities by providing a platform for co-creation and connections with like-minded individuals. VACS also hosts various events and workshops to promote artistic expression and collaboration. Whether you are an experienced artist or just starting out, VACS welcomes everyone to join in the celebration of creativity and storytelling.
I must admit, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I first walked in. I hadn’t done much research, and it was a bit early for a student on a holiday. As more people began to arrive, I found myself feeling a bit skeptical. The attendees were mostly older, and I wasn’t sure what my role was supposed to be.
We were instructed to get a name tag and sit at a table. We received training on how to facilitate conversations and ensure everyone’s participation. I made a friend, another volunteer, and we noticed someone sitting alone at a table. He had a warm smile and exuded positive energy. As soon as we sat down, the conversation started flowing, even after we were asked to pause and watch a video.
We spoke about our backgrounds and then watched a beautiful clip from a documentary called “Hidden Flowers” produced by VACS. Although we had access to these clips beforehand, watching them together was a completely different experience. My favorite part was discussing the questions that followed. Robin, the gentleman we sat with, had so many fascinating stories to share—stories that were funny, inspiring, and heartwarming. I didn’t feel like a volunteer; Robin seemed genuinely happy to share his stories and listen to ours.
One of the questions asked was whether we interact with people of different ages in our daily lives. This question made me reflect a lot. As a university student, I realized that I don’t often interact with people outside my age group unless I take the initiative to volunteer. Robin, on the other hand, spoke about how he interacts with people of all ages in his line of work and how he tries to stay updated with technology to connect with younger generations.
This made me think about how the older generation makes an effort to adapt to new technology and keep up with the times, while we often fail to acknowledge their efforts. During this experience, I was surprised to realize that I hadn’t checked my phone once. I was so engaged in the conversations with Robin, and I felt truly heard and seen when my stories were being listened to.
After each clip and question session, we shared our thoughts, and it was fascinating to hear different perspectives on the same questions. We ended the day with a weaving activity, where we created weaves with pieces of paper and rotated them with the people at our table. I loved this craft activity because it brought a lively energy to the room, and everyone was excited about it.
We also had to pick a word, and we chose ‘flourishing’ because we felt that through these conversations, we had flourished into better people. Our knowledge had flourished, and so had our connections with each other as humans. Towards the end, we showcased our work and talked about our experiences. I learned a lot from hearing other people’s stories and experiences, and this experience gave me a new perspective on intergenerational connections.
In conclusion, this experience taught me the profound importance of building connections through face-to-face discourse and maintaining an open mind while understanding others. If we expect the older generation to keep pace with our rapidly changing times, we must take proactive steps to connect with them authentically, fostering mutual understanding and respect.
Our stories and experiences shape us into the individuals we are today, and it’s crucial to share them to deepen our connections with others. These narratives serve as windows to learning and expanding our knowledge. While I feel there’s much more to share about this experience, it will undoubtedly become a pivotal part of my personal journey towards becoming a better person. I am sincerely grateful to VACS for providing me with this opportunity.
The entire day was incredibly fulfilling and wholesome, encouraging me to continue volunteering with VACS whenever possible. This experience has reinforced my belief in the transformative power of community engagement and intergenerational dialogue.
As I reflect on my time, I am reminded of the importance of genuine connections and the value of sharing our stories with others. I am inspired to continue exploring the power of storytelling and its ability to bring people together. Through my experiences, I have learned that art has the power to transcend barriers and create meaningful connections between people of all ages and backgrounds. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a vibrant and welcoming workshop, and I look forward to seeing how these experiences will continue to shape me as a person and as an advocate for the arts.
The Colloquium 