By Zoey Peacock Jones & Jean E. Taylor
Forward by Madeleine McGirk
When thinking about redefining or reimagining any long established tradition or way of working, I’m always inclined to first look at where/with whom the power has typically sat. And then consider who is consistently absent from that space/group, and why.
[in my Scottish context] Eldership in its broadest sense implies a wisdom which is to be shared, often by an individual or small group of older people, and utilised to guide decision making for broader society. To be clear, I love the idea of wisdom guiding our choices - I wish it happened more. However, the issue I see is that historically it implies a one sided set of knowledge being held by a select few and ‘passed down’ to those ‘below’ them. By nature it excludes youth voices and therefore misses rich perspectives which may offer new ways of thinking or fresh approaches to longstanding problems.
To solve complex societal issues, we require a cross-set of society present in decision making spaces.
Therefore, in exploring how we might redefine Eldership, it makes sense to first look at how we might value and recognise wisdom in a different way, including a multitude of perspectives and experiences in our perception of what is worthy of that status. We must explore how to give them equal weight. Essentially, the question becomes how can we democratise whose voice/wisdom/experience is prioritised and held as worthy.
One pair I happen to be lucky enough to know, and who have been actively exploring this, is Jean E. Taylor and Zoey Peacock Jones. Since 2020 I have had the pleasure of acting as a sounding board for them (along with another colleague), as they explore what it means to be in an intergenerational co-mentorship. Coming from different career stages, life experiences and perspectives, Jean and Zoey have found ways to value their differing wisdoms authentically. Neither one takes precedence over the other, but rather they are held as equally valuable. It’s something we could all learn from.
The generosity, vulnerability and growth has been exciting to watch, and I’m delighted to share their reflection on this process below, via an article they wrote for The Ensemble newsletter:
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McGirk, M. (2023, May 2). REDEFINING ELDERSHIP: Intergenerational Co-Mentoring Project. Creative Generation Blog. Creative Generation. Retrieved from https://www.creative-generation.org/blogs/redefining-eldership-intergenerational-co-mentoring-project