Bridging the gap between generations
Over the past few months, the Homenetmen Scouts of Boston have been working with the seniors of the community in an effort to bridge the gap between generations. They visited the Armenian Nursing Home on May 2 and May 9 and participated in church coffee hours at St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church on June 14. The scouts were looking to build meaningful relationships with the seniors and provide technology workshops, teaching them how to use their smartphones more effectively.
The workshops covered practical skills such as sending text messages, making video calls, sharing photos with family members, navigating common apps and learning simple settings that make phones easier to use. At the Armenian Nursing Home, the workshops brought together about 15 seniors and four scouts. For many of the seniors, these skills helped them stay more connected with their loved ones and feel more confident using modern technology.
While the scouts served as teachers, they quickly discovered that the experience was a two-way exchange. Conversations with the seniors provided opportunities to hear stories about Armenian history, family traditions and community life. These interactions fostered friendships and strengthened the connection between generations, reminding everyone involved that there is much to learn from one another. Reflecting on these special milestones, one of the participating scouts, Arda Mahserejian, said, “My most rewarding and successful moment and interaction was just seeing all of the seniors get really excited learning how to use their phone and figuring out their technical issues.”
The project was led by K. Tina Barsoumian as part of her requirements to complete the Araradian Rank in Homenetmen Scouting, the highest educational rank a scout can achieve. The Araradian project is designed to encourage scouts to identify a need within the community and develop a meaningful service initiative to address it.
More importantly, the project embodies the mission of Homenetmen: to develop young leaders who serve their communities with dedication, compassion and a strong sense of Armenian identity. By bringing together youth and seniors, the scouts demonstrated that service extends beyond completing a project. It is about building lasting relationships, preserving our heritage and strengthening the bonds that unite the community. It is the hope of both the scouts and the participating seniors that these visits will continue in the future, creating an ongoing opportunity for friendship, learning and mutual support between generations.
