Location: St. John’s and Central Newfoundland (including Springdale)
Lead Organization: Arts & Aging Network, Newfoundland and Labrador (www.artsandaging.com) Program Coordinator: Michelle Carew
Partners: Local elementary schools, community centres, older adult volunteers, families, and community leaders
Part of the GrandPals Network in Action
Across Canada, community organizations are adapting the GrandPals model to reflect their local context, culture, and strengths. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Arts & Aging Network offers a compelling example of how an arts-based, play-centred approach can support deep intergenerational connection—while expanding thoughtfully from an urban hub into rural communities.
For Arts & Aging Network, GrandPals is not a standalone initiative. It is a natural extension of their broader mission: fostering sincere connection, creativity, and belonging across generations.
Getting Started and Growing Outward
Arts & Aging Network has been running GrandPals programs in and around St. John’s for several years. Over time, the model has become familiar to local schools and volunteers, with many GrandPals returning year after year.
This past fall marked an important evolution: bringing GrandPals into rural Newfoundland, including a program in Springdale.
“The biggest shift for us has been moving beyond St. John’s,” shared program coordinator Michelle Carew. “That changes everything—from recruitment, to relationships, to how quickly trust forms.”
In Springdale, recruitment happened through an existing community centre, where the GrandPals already knew one another. Those pre-existing relationships shaped the classroom experience from day one. In contrast, urban programs often begin with strangers learning to connect for the first time.
Both contexts worked—but in different ways.
Recruiting in Rural Communities: Presence Matters
In rural communities where Arts & Aging Network is less well known, recruitment has required a more hands-on, relational approach.
“We’ve learned that physical presence matters,” Michelle explained. “Going to the library, visiting community groups, even popping into places where people already gather—it makes a difference.”
In Central Newfoundland, community leaders focused on:
- Making in-person presentations
- Visiting schools directly
- Bringing printed materials to share
- Building awareness one conversation at a time
This approach reflects a broader lesson: when working with older adults, face-to-face connection often builds trust faster than emails or posters alone.
An Arts-Based Approach to Orientation
What truly distinguishes Arts & Aging Network’s GrandPals programs is how deeply the arts are woven into preparation and delivery.
Student orientations are not lectures. They are experiential, movement-based, and playful—drawing on theatre games and embodied learning to explore communication, listening, and empathy.
Rather than telling students how to behave, Michelle designs activities that help them feel what good communication looks like.
In one exercise:
- Students practice speaking quietly while others try to listen
- Or attempt to communicate while avoiding eye contact
- Then reflect together on how it felt
“These activities help students understand what it’s like when someone can’t hear well, or when body language matters,” Michelle shared. “We don’t say ‘listen better’—we let them experience why it matters.”
Other activities simulate physical challenges associated with aging, helping students approach their GrandPals with curiosity rather than assumption.
Preparing GrandPals for the Classroom
Preparation extends equally to older adults.
Michelle has intentionally refined orientation sessions to include conversations about:
- Classroom layout and physical space
- Noise levels and hearing challenges
- What to expect from students
- Reassurance that connection—not perfection—is the goal
“It’s about awareness, not fear,” she explained. “Just helping people feel ready.”
That preparation pays off. GrandPals consistently report feeling supported, seen, and welcomed—not just at the beginning, but throughout the program.
Confidence, Connection, and Contribution
Across repeated cycles, Arts & Aging Network has observed powerful shifts among both students and GrandPals.
For older adults, confidence often grows quietly.
“There’s always that moment where a GrandPal wonders if they’re making a difference,” Michelle said. “Then the celebration comes, and they realize the students remembered everything.”
That recognition—seeing details reflected back through artwork, writing, or performance—often becomes the emotional turning point.
Students experience similar growth. Michelle described moments where children who struggle in traditional academic settings find confidence in this relational space:
- Sharing one line of a group presentation
- Being responsible for a small role
- Receiving focused attention from a GrandPal
“They’re not all equal readers,” she noted, “but they’re equal contributors.”
Celebration as Meaningful Closure
Arts & Aging Network places strong emphasis on closure—but not on uniformity.
Celebrations vary by school and community. Some are formal. Others are playful. Some include musical performances by staff or community members meaningful to the school.
“What matters is that it reflects who they are,” Michelle explained. “Every school has its own way of celebrating.”
This flexibility allows each program to end with dignity, pride, and shared joy.
Sustaining the Program Through Relationships
When asked what it takes to sustain GrandPals over multiple years, Michelle returned again and again to relationships.
“To sustain something, people need to feel seen,” she said. “Welcomed. Remembered.”
That shows up in small but meaningful ways:
- Phone calls instead of emails when needed
- Flexible communication styles
- Remembering individual strengths
- Making space for missed sessions without guilt
Centralized shared resources support consistency across sites, while allowing local coordinators the flexibility to adapt orientation and delivery to their community’s culture.
Looking Ahead
As Arts & Aging Network prepares for upcoming spring programs, momentum is building:
- Returning GrandPals are joined by new volunteers
- Teachers are sharing positive experiences with colleagues
- Schools are reaching out proactively
- Interest is spreading organically across the province
“There’s a buzz now,” Michelle reflected. “People are hearing about us—and about GrandPals.”
Each new program strengthens a growing intergenerational network across Newfoundland and Labrador, grounded in creativity, play, and sincere human connection.
Key Takeaways for Other Communities
1. Let local context lead.
Urban and rural communities require different recruitment strategies. 
2. Use experiential learning to prepare students.
Arts-based activities build empathy more effectively than instructions alone. 
3. Prepare GrandPals for the space—not just the role.
Awareness reduces anxiety and builds confidence. 
4. Relationships sustain programs.
Feeling seen and supported keeps volunteers coming back. 
5. Celebrate in ways that reflect the community.
Closure matters—but it doesn’t need to look the same everywhere. 
About the GrandPals Network
GrandPals is a growing network of schools, charities, libraries, and community organizations working together to strengthen intergenerational connection across Canada.
Communities like the Arts & Aging Network demonstrate how the model can be adapted—creatively and thoughtfully—while preserving its relational core.
📩 Interested in learning from the Arts & Aging Network’s experience?
Visit the GrandPals Contact Page to request an introduction through the Network.