At the center of every Connect class is a goal to build community and create an inclusive space for people to come together, across generations and backgrounds, in order to form meaningful connections with people outside of your typical social bubble, and to reap the benefits of such interactions.

​These classes take place in public venues. Most classes are held on college campuses, however they may also take place in various community locations, such as community centers, libraries, rec centers, houses of worship, or any other public venue that is willing and able to host.

Clubs are founded by college students who, working with Connect&, build the club up. The club leadership is responsible for having a facilitator for each class. The facilitator can be a young adult, an older adult, or a (ideally) a partnership of co-creators. If you are interested in leading a class or learning how to do so, please review [link to facilitator training resources].

The goal is to build community and create a space that allows meaningful connections to take place, where they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so! Also, enjoy a fun activity and learn something new!

Meetings follow a consistent structure with 4 main components.

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1. Connect& Check: introductions everyone knows who's participating in the class and we can ground ourselves in our shared space, with an emphasis on building community.

2. Connect& activity: facilitators will introduce the day's topic and lead a hands on, goal-oriented activity relating to the topic of your specific Connect Class.

3. Connect& Reflect: winding the class down with a recap and a space for anyone to share their experiences.

4. Connect& Built: stay after class to meet other members, chat, and share food. 

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No! We welcome all levels of skill and experience to our classes. You only need an interest or curiosity to get started. If you are experienced, all classes benefit from having you involved to provide support to beginners, as you feel comfortable. Classes are not only age inclusive, but also skill level inclusive. We view diversity in all aspects to be a strength in building a strong, robust community.

Intergenerational connections have numerous benefits, both for older and younger adults. However, outside of the family they can be quite uncommon, resulting in social isolation or loneliness, a growing gap between generations, and tons of wasted resources and opportunities to share wisdom, perspective, and skills with one another. We believe that intentionally building communities across ages will allow participants to reap the benefits we too often miss out on.