Flourish: The Impact of an Intergenerational Program on Third-grade Students’ Social and Emotional Wellbeing with Application to the PERMA Framework

Intergenerational programs are increasingly being recognised as a means of promoting wellbeing through connecting communities, promoting caring relationships, and combating loneliness and isolation. While existing research provides evidence of the positive benefits of intergenerational programs for the elderly, there is limited research on the impact that these programs have on children’s wellbeing. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of the intergenerational program, ‘Flourish’, on student social and emotional wellbeing. The study was conducted on 20 third-grade students from Noosa Christian College who participated in the Flourish Program over a six-month period. A mixed-method, qualitative and quantitative research design consisting of questionnaires and reflective journals was applied. Martin Seligman’s (2011) PERMA model provided a functional framework to measure student wellbeing within the elements of positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment. Quantitative data indicated a significant difference in the elements of relationships, meaning and accomplishment. These findings were supported by qualitative data which additionally showed strong indication of the positive emotion element and the role it plays in the engagement of participants. The positive emotion element was also found to permeate across each of the other four PERMA elements. Results emerging from this study highlight the role that a well-planned intergenerational program can play in providing positive experiences and interactions; creating caring and connected communities; enabling students to experience meaning and joy associated with serving others; and enhancing student self-efficacy. This study also draws attention to the essential role that both hedonic and eudaimonic facets play in promoting wellbeing and flourishing. Findings underscore the importance of implementing regular, scheduled visits with activities that focus on positive experiences and outcomes that actively engage all participants.