"VAN" (Europe Bureau - Aleksey Vesyoliy) :: Intergenerational dialogue and solidarity between the generations.

How to foster a better understanding between younger and older people and what can all generations do together to build a better future?

Democratic societies can develop only when participation is possible for everyone, taking into account cultural or socio-economic background, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or ability. It is not enough to affirm that people should have equal rights or that democratic participation is open to all.

Nearly every country in the European Union is faced with the prospect of a population that is getting progressively older: birth rates are declining while life expectancy is rising. This demographic evolution will be accompanied by profound social changes: in terms of social protection, housing and employment, for example. However, the European Union population’s gradual ageing process is also having a strong impact on conventional relationships between generations. The political debate has often focused on the negative challenges of ageing, such as the need for increased expenditure on pensions, health care and social protection systems.

Early sociologists such as Karl Mannheim noted differences across generations in how the youth transits into adulthood and studied the ways in which generations separate themselves from one another, in the home and in social situations and areas. Such systems are dependent on the concept of (intergenerational) solidarity, an integral part of the European economic and social system, and – therefore – a crucial factor in this debate. According to the European Commission, solidarity and the creation of links between younger and older generations should not be seen in strict financial terms. The European Commission recommends placing equal importance on the promotion of mutual cooperation and interchanges between the generations, as well as better understanding and new forms of co-existence.

The sociological theory of a generation gap first came to light in the 1960s, when the younger generation (later known as Baby Boomers) seemed to go against everything their parents had previously believed in terms of music, values, governmental and political views. Sociologists now refer to "generation gap" as "institutional age segregation". Usually, when any of these age groups is engaged in its primary activity, the individual members are physically isolated from people of other generations, with little interaction across age barriers except at the nuclear family level.  Generation gap often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their parents or grandparents, for example, difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, values etc.

Back in 2005 the European Commission's Green Paper on "Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations"  discussed the challenges facing European Union Member States as a result of demographic change. Increases in longevity and continuing low birth rates are causing a shift in the ratio of old and young, and as a result the proportion of older people is rising. This trend is reinforced by the fact that the "baby boomers" born between the end of the war and 1960s are now slowly reaching retirement age. In addition to a higher proportion of "older workers", European society is therefore also faced with a rising proportion of pensioners and a steadily growing number of the very elderly. Very elderly means people who are 80 and over. At the same time, the number of children, young people and adults at an employable age is declining. These shifts in the balance between working populations and pensioners are giving rise to fears that the burden of keeping present systems of old-age security upright may gradually fall on the shoulders of young people, and that these imbalances may cause tensions between the generations.

The ageing of European Union population has far-reaching consequences for the social security systems of member states.  For example, public spending for pensions, health care and long-term elderly care will rise significantly while at the same time young people will be facing increasing difficulties in accessing quality education and adequately paid employment. These challenges pose a threat to young people's ability to live autonomous lives as equal members of society. The latest statistics show increasing number of young adults who delay leaving family home.

To ensure that demographic change is not viewed only as a conflict and battle for resources between young and old but that the challenges it poses can also be understood as opportunities, there must be more dialogue and more solidarity between the generations.

“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion,” said Pope Francis in his speech few years ago.

According to the European Youth Forum, intergenerational solidarity can be achieved by ensuring that prosperity is equitably distributed between the generations as well as by providing adequate livelihood possibilities for people of all ages. However, the debate on the sustainability of European pension systems that this will inevitably trigger should also be accompanied by exchanges between the generations.

For example, Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2008 proposed to declare the 29 April  European Day of Solidarity between Generations. Viewing an ageing European society as both a challenge and an opportunity, the European Union declared 2012 as the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. In a time when European leaders are rethinking the future of Europe, we need to involve all generations in the democratic debate and policymaking and promote age diversity in all areas of society.

Involvement, participation and interactions are essential prerequisites to build truly age-friendly societies.

Older people have contributed to social protection systems throughout their lives and continue to make huge contributions to their communities. Their role in society should be recognised, and we must do more to prevent old-age poverty and social exclusion, and to tackle the gender pension gap. At the same time, today’s generation of young people faces many challenges, such as difficult access to social protection to difficulties reconciling work with private life. To strike this balance, we need to create structures where generations can talk to each other and understand each other’s challenges and find solutions that are fair to all.

Some approaches could be: exchanges of knowledge and skills between young and old, mutual assistance . "The young help the old – the old help the young": household or similar assistance for seniors provided by young people, seniors acting as mentors for school students etc.) or common activities involving certain social issues. This way, young people can learn from the experience of older people, and seniors can pass on their experience and share their knowledge with the younger generation, while the older generation can profit from the young people's knowledge and skills as well as from their energy and dynamic force.

Every generation has its own attitudes and values. Every generation likes to think it's better than the ones that came before or after. Stimulating intergenerational dialogue and solidarity between the generations is a shared responsibility. You have heard about Millennials, Generation X and the Baby Boomers very often, but it’s not always clear who’s a part of these groups. 

Baby boomers generation is most often defined as those individuals born between 1946 and 1964. They're currently between 55-75 years old . The term baby boom refers to a noticeable increase in the birth rate. The post-war population increase was described as a "boom’’ born during the post World War II baby boom. They rejected and redefined traditional values.

Some interesting facts about "baby boomers":

• Highest consumers of traditional media like television, radio, magazines, and newspaper.
• More than 80% of Baby Boomers have launched ventures as a lifestyle choice or to boost income. These boomer entrepreneurs are primarily choosing to start businesses because it allows them to be independent, pursue their interests and passions or increase their income. 
• Baby Boomers are twice as likely to launch a new business compared to millennials.

Millennials are so named because they were born near or came of age during the dawn of the 21st century – the new millennium. Millennials have grown up in a time of rapid change, giving them a set of priorities and expectations sharply different from previous generations. As the first to be born into a digital world, members of this group are considered "digital natives." Technology has always been a part of their everyday lives. Millenials have been a major contributing factor to the growth of Silicon Valley and other technology hubs. 

The millennial generation is the largest age group to emerge since the baby boom generation, and as this group grows significantly as a proportion of the workforce over the next 20 years, employers will need to make major adjustments in their engagement models. Millennials have a drastically different outlook on what they expect from their employment experience. Millennials have been dubbed the most ‘impatient generation’ in the workplace, with over 90% wanting "rapid career progression."

Millennials want to do meaningful work and be a part of something that will have a positive impact on the world. Some might characterize this attitude as demanding and self-centered — asking for too much from a job. Through employee surveys conducted over the past seven years, it has found that Millennials’ wants and needs are strikingly similar to those of colleagues from different generations. They’re looking for jobs that give them a sense of fulfillment or meaning, allow them to be authentic and play to their strengths, offer opportunities for learning and growth, and empower them to take initiative. People of all generations have begun to redefine fulfillment in this way.

Millennials play to their individual strengths, not because they’re too lazy or too afraid to try new things but because they want to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve what psychologists call a “flow state” — operating like athletes or musicians at the top of their game. When their jobs don’t meet this criteria, Millennials are more likely to move on to a new role, leave the organization, or quit.

Some interesting facts about millenials:

• Millenials want flexible work schedules.
• Millennials have less brand loyalty than previous generations. They prefer to shop product and features first and have little patience for inefficient or poor service.
• It's been estimated that millenials check their phones as many as 150 times daily.
• Millennials are often dismissed as narcissists because they share a lot — often on Facebook and Instagram.
• Millennials have been putting off significant milestones like marriage and children. But that doesn’t mean they want to stay single forever.

Millennials face the most uncertain economic future of perhaps any generation since the  World War II. The increasing wealth gap has meant that Millennials start off with less household income. So, the most popular personal finance priority is to have enough money for day-to-day living expenses. Some Millennials postponed working in favor of getting a higher education or additional degrees. Millenials are more concerned about the present than the future, and are struggling to establish a budget to help with other financial goals.

Generation Z refers to the generation that was born between 1996-2010, following millennials. This generation has been raised on the internet and social media, with some the oldest finishing college by 2020 and entering the workforce. Generation Z, is the youngest, most ethnically-diverse and largest generation in the history. Generation Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted and anti-social.

Generation Z, the group born after the Millennials, is entering their early adult years and starting their young careers. Every generation approaches the workplace differently. Generation Z tends to be more pragmatic, approaching both their education and career differently than Millennials. It appears that Generation Z is also approaching money in a unique way compared to past groups. Generation Z does not remember a time when the internet did not exist. It is not surprising to learn that almost half of Generation Z spends 10 hours and mpre a day connected online, and 2/3 watches YouTube for two hours a day or more.

Long before the term “influencer” was coined, young people played that social role by creating and interpreting trends. Now a new generation of influencers has come on the scene. 

Some interesting facts about Generation Z:

• The Smartphone Generation. Over half of Generation Z use their smartphones 5 or more hours a day, and over a quarter use their phones 10 or more hours a day.
• Generation Z is entering the workforce with less job experience than previous generations. Only 19% of 15- to 17-year-olds in 2018 reported working during the previous calendar year, compared with 30% of millennials in the same age range in 2002. In 1968, nearly half of Baby Boomers (48%) reported working in the previous year when they were that age.
• Approximately 75 % of Generation Z wish their hobby would turn into their full-time job.

Generation Z consumers are mostly well educated about brands and the realities behind them. When they are not, they know how to access information and develop a point of view quickly. Media consumption habits differ from previous generations—even millennials.

As global connectivity soars, generational shifts could come to play a more important role in setting behavior than socioeconomic differences do. Young people have become a potent influence on people of all ages and incomes, as well as on the way those people consume and relate to brands. 

Dealing with the impact of an ageing population in the European Union, Europe's best chance of ensuring that ageing will not be perceived as a threat, but as a historic achievement, lies in not wasting the potential of the baby-boom generation. The knowledge and experience of the older generation is of great value, and younger generations should be able to benefit from it. Conversely, the younger generation has skills that it can make available to the older generation or use to support older people.

Young people's path towards independence and autonomy has become increasingly hard.

Many young people find it difficult to plan for their future. This is caused by insecurity  in the labour market, longer school-to-work transitions and welfare systems not compatible with the reality of today's youth. If societies don't do better, there is an increasing risk of inequalities in European societies and among generations.

Societies need to create structures where generations can talk to each other and understand each other’s challenges and find solutions that are fair to all. Therefore the topic of "intergenerational dialogue" at European Union level is also part of the policy area on lifelong learning. Older people, especially retirees, should be encouraged to pass on their knowledge and experience to younger generations and, in other areas, to learn from the young.

Ageism and negative attitudes towards certain age groups are dividing people of different generations and creating barriers to their full participation in society. Those stereotypes, acquired at a very young age, usually arise from a lack of understanding of the realities in which other age groups live. Fostering regular interaction among people from different age groups can help break down stereotypes, enhancing awareness of the diversity of situations within an age group and of the common challenges being faced.

At the same time, promoting intergenerational solidarity and cooperation can help respond to some of our current societal challenges, in making the best use of what all of us can contribute regardless of our age. And with real economic and social benefits for all.

Publication author: Sintija Bernava

Chairwoman of the Board, Non Governmental Organisation "Donum Animus" (Latvia)

"Donum Animus" is the only Entity from Latvia holding Special Consultative Status of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations