Submitted by Nelson CARES
The Nelson CARES Society and the Nelson Civic Theatre Society are bringing the social and arts and culture sectors together in an inclusive and intergenerational project that explores the hopes and aspirations of different generations for our post-pandemic world.
Lynzee Bewcyk, intergenerational project co-ordinator for Nelson CARES Society and Jan Wright, president of the Nelson Civic Theatre Society board, are inviting people of all ages to participate in an online contest to tell their story through video of how they think and feel about their hopes for the future.
For many of us, the impact of COVID-19 has increased feelings of social isolation, loneliness and has highlighted many areas where we can do better as a society. Children, youth and adults talk about missing their friends and social activities. “Before the pandemic, social isolation is what many seniors may have already been experiencing as well as feelings of being invisible and often dismissed,” says Bewcyk.
This intergenerational project aims to connect people from different generations to learn about each other while providing a sense of community belonging through producing a video about inclusion.
The mission of the Nelson Civic Theatre Society to entertain, educate, connect, and communicate through building programming, events, and services for its communities is a perfect fit with this very creative project.
As a senior, Wright says she is “excited to be working with and learning from younger generations on a project that will use video and digital media as a way of reflecting and capturing the social hopes of generations experiencing this period in time.”
The aim of the project is to raise awareness of how different generations think and feel about their hopes for the future. Entrants are being asked to create and submit a video that is around three-to-five minutes long answering the question: “What are your hopes for our post-pandemic world?”
The video must involve at least one intergenerational relationship. For example, a youth working with someone from the boomer generation or a teen and their grandparent.
People are asked to follow the advice of our health care professionals and the BC Centre for Disease Control to practise safe physical distancing while creating their videos. This includes taking the necessary measures of using a mask, washing hands often, and keeping a two-metre distance from others.
The contest is open to emerging and advanced videographers. There will be prizes awarded to each category as well as one people’s choice award.
Video entries open Jan. 4th, 2021, and submissions are due on Feb. 28, 2021. Entries will be shown on the Nelson Civic Theatre Society’s website. The public will have an opportunity to watch the videos and vote for their favourites. Celebrate and support the community you live in by submitting, watching, and voting.
To learn more about submission guidelines please visit: www.kootenayseniors.ca/intergen-video-contest/ or www.civictheatre.ca /community If you have any questions please contact Lynzee Bewcyk by email at intergen@nelsoncares.ca or by phone (250) 352-2708.