Hello and Welcome to iGen. This is a podcast that shines a light on a unique and inspirational educational program that takes place at Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sherbrooke is a long term care home in Saskatoon that is home to 263 residents of all ages and abilities, and since 2014, has been the home of the iGen program.

iGen, which is short for intergenerational classroom, is a wonderful partnership between the Saskatoon Public School Division and Sherbrooke that sees 25 grade six students from across Saskatoon working with and learning from the Elders who call Sherbrooke home. The students spend their school days at Sherbrooke, within the care home, which makes for an incredible learning environment for everyone involved. 

This is episode three of the podcast and it features two very hard working and slightly exhausted teachers. Keri Albert is the lead teacher for the iGen program and Lorna Conquergood is the secondary teacher. Together, they did an incredible job of guiding the 2022/23 iGen class through the school year and shared some of their insights on this year's class in this episode.

We recorded this episode at the end of June in the iGen classroom at Ecole College Park, which is located near Sherbrooke Community Centre. Keri and Lorna were understandably exhausted after a busy school year, but as you'll hear in this episode, they are so proud of this year's class and the impact it had on Elders and themselves. 

Keri and Lorna also take listeners through the iGen graduation ceremony which is a highlight of the school year. It is a day full of meaning, happiness and some wonderful moments of spontaneity and Keri and Lorna do a great job of conveying the excitement of the day in this episode.

If you have any questions for myself or Keri, or if you have any comments, suggestions or ideas for future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to email us.

My email is Eric.Anderson@saskhealthauthority.ca

Keri's is albertk@spsd.sk.ca

We hope you find this episode inspiring and perhaps it will give you the confidence to start an intergenerational program in your community!

Thank you for listening...

Eric Anderson - Communications Leader, Sherbrooke Community Centre

Producer, Host and Editor: Eric Anderson

Consulting Producers: Keri Albert and Lorna Conquergood

Recorded in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and Treaty Six Territory