Location: Southeastern Manitoba (Steinbach area and surrounding communities)
Lead Organization: Active Aging in Manitoba (www.activeagingmb.ca)
Coordinator: Monica Phaneuf – [email protected]
204-299-9396 | 204-632-3947
Partners: Local elementary schools and social workers within the Hanover School Division
Part of the GrandPals Network in Action
Across Canada, community organizations are discovering how the GrandPals model brings generations together through storytelling, mentorship, and connection. Although each implementation reflects its local context, the shared purpose remains the same: building meaningful bridges between youth and older adults.
Active Aging in Manitoba offers an inspiring example of how a provincial seniors organization can partner with school-based staff to support multiple classrooms simultaneously—beginning in the fall and continuing into the spring—while keeping the program relational, manageable, and deeply impactful.
Getting Started
When Active Aging in Manitoba first explored GrandPals, the program aligned naturally with their mission of promoting healthy aging, social engagement, and intergenerational connection.
Early pilots helped the team develop a clear rhythm—how to recruit GrandPals, orient schools, and support weekly storytelling sessions. By 2024, they were well-positioned for a stretch goal: supporting three fall classrooms across two schools.
What made that possible?
“The two social workers we were working with were just so excited to offer the program,” coordinator Monica Phaneuf shared. “When you see that kind of enthusiasm, you don’t want to say no. You find a way to make it work.”
Their enthusiasm created the conditions for expanded fall participation.
Why Run Three Classrooms in the Fall?
Many communities start with one classroom. Active Aging in Manitoba supported three at once, including two classrooms running concurrently in the same school—something that required coordination, flexibility, and trust.
The timing also helped:
- Students are fresh in the fall. They’re energized, curious, and eager for a meaningful project early in the year.
- Experience reduces setup stress. Having “the lay of the land” after several cycles made fall feel just as doable as spring.
- Enthusiasm drives momentum. With committed social workers behind the program, scheduling challenges became solvable rather than prohibitive.
Monica emphasizes that there is no “best” season—only the right fit.
“Do whatever fits the classroom and the school. If the enthusiasm is there, fall can be wonderful. But spring can be just as powerful.”
A major unexpected benefit of fall delivery is momentum: after the fall programs, additional schools in the area immediately expressed interest, leading to new spring launches.
People and Partnerships
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Active Aging in Manitoba credits its success not to formal roles, but to passion and shared purpose.
Two Hanover School Division social workers—Shauna Doerksen and Heather Hildebrand—played a central role. Their belief in the program, willingness to coordinate details, and dedication to their students shaped the fall launch.
“If someone has the will for this program,” Monica noted, “there will be a way to make it happen.”
Partnerships grew to include:
- Teachers and vice-principals
- Educational assistants
- Classroom families
- Older adults from the community
These relationships strengthen with each cohort. Over time, schools and Active Aging in Manitoba have built a cooperative network model in which everyone contributes to program success.
Recruiting GrandPals Creatively
One of the most significant evolutions across cohorts has been how GrandPals are found.
Early attempts focused on seniors’ organizations and 55+ residences. Now, recruitment includes:
- Classroom families: Schools send messages home inviting grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives
- School networks: Staff sometimes identify perfect GrandPal candidates—such as an educational assistant whose mother joined the program
- Community groups: Any group connected to older adults becomes a potential recruiting partner
“Every cohort teaches us something new,” Monica shared. “We’ve learned different places to look and different ways to ask.”
By fall 2024, this richer recruitment approach meant there was no delay in finding enough GrandPals—one of the key enablers of launching multiple classrooms.
Planning for Schedules, Weather, and Teacher Presence
Manitoba programs taught the team an important truth: buffering matters.
Winter conditions, school events, and teacher absences all shape the student experience. As a result:
- An eight-week program might be scheduled as nine weeks
- PD days are checked against the schedule to avoid substituting teachers
- Teacher presence is treated as essential—not optional
During the fall, one school had substitute teachers for a session because of a PD day. That session reinforced how crucial teachers are in:
- Keeping student groups regulated
- Knowing which groups need more support
- Maintaining continuity
- Supporting GrandPals
“Teachers are essential,” Monica reflected. “They build the relationships with the kids, and they know the dynamics.”
Supporting GrandPals in the Classroom
Many volunteers wonder: How do I “get it right” in a classroom?
Monica’s answer is simple: you don’t have to get it right—just connect.
GrandPals are reassured that:
- Support will always be in the room (teacher + coordinator presence)
- Conversations can be natural and relaxed
- The goal is connection, not performance
She encourages volunteers to be curious and responsive:
“Let the conversation flow. Build comfort. Ask questions. Enjoy the process.”
Signs the groups are thriving include:
- Students eager to share stories
- GrandPals asking questions back
- Mutual comfort beginning to form
- Conversation flowing on both sides
Small hiccups—such as multiple students speaking at once—become teachable moments in turn-taking, listening, and respect.
Advice for New Coordinators
Monica offers this reassurance:
“You’re not doing this alone. We’re here every step of the way.”
Active Aging in Manitoba takes on much of the relational load—fielding calls, attending orientations, supporting teachers, preparing volunteers, and providing all necessary resources.
For someone new to coordinating, she suggests:
- Leaning into partnerships
- Communicating the impact clearly
- Trusting the relational nature of the program
The recurring theme of the interview was clear:
If people believe in the program, they will make it happen.
Key Takeaways for Charities and Coordinators
1. Enthusiasm from partners enables multi-classroom launches.
Shauna and Heather’s commitment made a three-classroom fall cycle not only possible but joyful.
2. Fall programs can build momentum for spring expansion.
Early-year engagement can spark additional demand.
3. GrandPal recruitment works best when creatively distributed.
Classroom families, school staff, community groups, and seniors’ networks all contribute.
4. Protect teacher continuity and build in schedule buffers.
Weather, PD days, and subs can impact student experience—plan proactively.
5. Volunteers thrive when supported.
Warm reassurance and a relaxed conversational approach help GrandPals feel confident.
6. The outcomes make the effort worthwhile.
Regardless of season, students end the program wishing it lasted longer.
Looking Ahead
Active Aging in Manitoba is preparing to expand intergenerational programming into additional schools this spring, building on the relationships and learnings from an ambitious fall cycle.
Each new classroom deepens community connection and strengthens the intergenerational fabric of the region—one storytelling circle at a time.
About the GrandPals Network
GrandPals is a growing movement of schools, seniors’ organizations, charities, and municipalities working together to build intergenerational connections across Canada.
Spotlighted communities like Active Aging in Manitoba (www.activeagingmb.ca) offer shared wisdom, insights, and mentorship for others beginning their own journey.
📩 Interested in connecting with the Active Aging in Manitoba team?
Visit the GrandPals Contact Page to request an introduction through the Network.