About Us
WIN is a network of community partners inspired by the connections uniting people across generations and across different disciplines.
Mission
The WIN Intergenerational Network (WIN), facilitates collaboration and sharing of resources among community partners. Our goals are to:
- raise awareness about intergenerational practice,
- promote connections, and
- foster the creation of innovative programs across generations.
Based in the west-end of Montreal, WIN brings together a variety of passionate community organizations, public institutions and citizens who believe in the opportunities, benefits and importance of connecting Seniors and young people in constructive ways. Our network has far-reaching benefits that extend to the whole of Montreal and beyond!
WIN encourages everyone to ask themselves “What are we doing and how can we do it differently to incorporate an intergenerational component”?
History
WIN – The WIN Intergenerational Network started in November 2017 to facilitate collaboration and sharing among community partners, to raise awareness about intergenerational practice and its benefits, promote connections, and foster the creation of innovative programs across generations.
Early on, WIN included representatives from:
Community organizations
Special mention to English Montreal School Board SCA’s, Samantha Smith, Danika Swanson and Jagdeep Trehin for their leadership roles within their schools and WIN.
Thank you to Don Rosenbaum for his initial support, sharing ideas and especially for his passion with respect to promoting intergenerational connections and programming.
In partnership with the Community Health and Social Service Network, in July 2020, The Eva Marsden Centre for social justice and aging (formerly known as the NDG Senior Citizens’ Council) received funding from the Bright Beginnings program to sponsor WIN. The funding allows WIN to expand its capacity and further its mission. WIN will:
- Consolidate and expand its partnerships;
- Develop innovative IG programming;
- have the capacity to support its partners in the development of intergenerational programming; and
- Become a (centralized) source of information and a database of community IG programming.
“We are better off—as individuals, families, communities, and as a society —when there are abundant opportunities for young people and older adults to come together to interact, educate, support, and provide care for one another.”
– Don Rosenbaum
Who we are
Miranda Potts
“We need to bridge the gap between youth and older adults, and develop a culture of diversity, inclusion, appreciation, dignity and respect within our communities.”
Miranda is an Outreach/Intervention Worker for Seniors in the NDG area for both Prévention CDN-NDG and the NDG Senior Citizens Council. She is a founding member of WIN and current co-chair.
She was last employed as a Resource Counsellor for pregnant women and new families “at risk”, which she left to pursue her studies in Special Care Counselling at Vanier College in 2012.
She has been an advocate for vulnerable and marginalized persons in the west-end area in various roles and positions starting from a young age.
You can contact Miranda via email or by phone at (514) 690-2034.
Tracie Swim
“We need to create spaces for dialogue to build bridges between generations ensuring people feel valued and connected to each other and their communities.”
Tracie coordinates friendly volunteer visits and award winning Intergenerational programming for Montreal West United Church’s Extra Miles senior visiting program. She is a founding member of WIN and current co-chair.
Prior to her work with Extra Miles Tracie had 20+years of client service focused project management experience working with and for multiple levels of stakeholders in private sector consulting and planning.
She is a client service professional skilled in Not-for-profit Organizations, Community development, Strategic planning, Project management, Program development, Event planning and management and Volunteer management.
You can contact Tracie via email or by phone at (514) 482-3210.
Intergenerational Day with Extra Miles
Zoe Decarie-Groening (November 2011)
5th grade Elizabeth Ballantyne School
Shy, scared looking at the person
In the chair not concentrating
Because do you really know them?
I asked myself.
But just then one little thing changed
My mind… not only kids can be funny
Seniors can be too, I laughed I enjoyed
And I listened,
Not everyone’s nice to seniors they
Might need… more help, attention
and care. That’s when I learned that…
YOU can have a friend no matter what
Age