Empathy and wisdom are extremely powerful. No one wants to feel as if they’re on a journey completely alone, paving the way for themselves. Whether it be college applications, relationship advice, or anything in between, receiving an “I’ve been there” makes the world of a difference.
For me personally, I have leaned on people who have gone before me and learned from their successes and mistakes. The simple gesture of sharing their stories and giving advice makes the walk easier for someone like me who was navigating life for the first time.
When you know that there is someone that you can turn to for advice, it creates a sense of safety and support. It communicates that you’re not expected to figure everything out on your own, and you’re even able to achieve more by receiving advice from those who have been where you are now.
However, the fact is that not everyone has access to role models and mentors who can provide that type of support. How can a first-generation student from a low-income neighborhood find someone to give them advice about the college experience? How can someone with no one to ask about safe sex know how to make the best decisions for themselves and their body? Wisdom is a beautifully rich resource, but depending on someone’s context, it may be sparse.
During my fellowship at Fiver Children’s Foundation, I was honored to be closing that gap for Fiver’s participants by creating a network of generational wisdom within the Fiver community. By creating a social-emotional support program for their highschool-aged participants, as well as a professional mentoring program for their younger alum that connected them to older alum, Fiver is harnessing the power of shared experience.
Participants in both programs will all have one thing in common - they were all Fivers at some point. But by forging connections between their three generations (current participants, younger alums, older alums) they’re creating a community where wisdom is in abundance and making it accessible for their past, present, and future participants.