The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) Language and Culture Schools Bentleigh Campus welcomed their families to the school on Tuesday May 14 in an event celebrating family.
Teachers and students, as part of the annual ‘Be Connected’ program and for International Family Day, prepared a celebration for the grandparents of the students.
They did so with a revival of wedding customs, music, games, and educational activities.
During the event, teachers, students, and grandparents also shared their experiences from participating in the program ‘Bridging Generations – Be Connected,’ implemented by the GCM Schools in collaboration with Christina Ntaliani and the organisations ‘Be Connected’ and ‘Good Things Foundation.’
This program sees students become online mentors for their grandparents, aiming to increase the skills and safety of older people when using technology.
In a media release, students Athena D and Daphne G shared what they showed their grandparents.
“I explained to my grandfather things he didn’t know about the internet and showed him how to access sites about gardening and health, which he liked,” Athena said.
“I taught my grandmother how to use Skype to communicate with us, and I taught her how to use a smart TV. I realized that it is difficult to be a teacher after all,” Daphne added.
It is a pioneering initiative with multiple benefits, both for the elderly—who shared valuable time with their grandchildren and became familiar with the internet—and for the students, who cultivated their empathy and practiced their communication skills in the Greek language.
