Little Brothers of the Elderly Essay Examples

Amongst the organization of Little Brothers of the Elderly, there multiple dimensions of multiculturalism at play within the organization’s structure. This is inherent in any organization or group that derives members from various sections of the population. Seldom do the very young and the very old interact together. Putting aside family gatherings and functions, there are few occasions for younger and older generations to meet and converse. Both generations can learn a great deal from the other. There are numerous cultural and social differences between the younger and older generations of today. The Little Brothers of the Elderly is a unique non-profit because it bridges the gap between diverse generations of persons. The group recruits volunteers of all ages to speak and converse with the elderly.
Some of the elderly participants in the group hail from a foreign nation and speak very poor English. Whatever the reason for their lack of English-speaking skills, it does not deter volunteers from reaching out and trying to connect with these individuals. What may come as a surprise to an outsider is that volunteers are not always placed with elderly individuals who speak the same language; sometimes, an English speaking volunteer may be paired with an elderly individual who speaks and understands very little English. At first, there is an obvious language barrier between the two. Language is the key to human communication and interaction. Obviously, if two people do not speak the same language, it will make effective communication very difficult. But I have seen that over time, both the elderly participant and the volunteer will begin to learn the other’s language. Slowly but surely, they will begin to understand each other. They will often practice their newly acquired language skills on each other.
Before observing Little Brothers of the Elderly, I did not think two people, with more than 50 years between them, would have much in common. While this may perhaps be true, within the organization, the social construct and relevancy of age simply falls away. I think the program is mutually beneficial on a multiculturalism level for both the elderly and the volunteers and employees who run the organization. While the elderly benefit from having companionship and someone to talk to, the employees and volunteers benefit equally in a different way. A lot can be learned from older, wiser generations. Elderly individuals are often cast aside and forgotten in society. In terms of multi-culturalism, the organization demonstrates that at the end of the day, people, no matter what age, are not that different from each other.
But language is not the only social barrier that the Little Brothers of the Elderly successfully erodes. At least in America, the very rich and the very poor rarely come into direct contact with each other. Perhaps the rich may donate money to charities, but seldom do the rich interact on a personal level with the very poor. What is unique about this organization is that socioeconomic status becomes irrelevant. Elderly participants, volunteers, and employees all come from every imaginable socioeconomic background and status. But within the group, none of that matters. What becomes important is not how much money a particular person makes, or what fancy job a person has, but how people interact and connect. Not too long ago, a very rich elderly gentleman was having the most in-depth conversation with a young man who was living paycheck-to-paycheck and one step away from being homeless. I smiled when I saw how well the elderly man and the young man got along. When the two were talking, any notions of socioeconomic status simply fell away, and they were just two people enjoying each others’ company.
Personally speaking, I am from a relatively diverse background. I was adopted from a foreign country, and my parents are of different racial groups. At family get-togethers, looking around the dinner table reminded me of a meeting at the UN or the League of Nations because of the diversity of my family. As such, I was raised in a culturally and racially tolerant household. I believe the younger generation of today has been brought up to be more tolerant of difference and change than the older generations.
While some volunteers or employees may have a bit of culture shock upon entering the Little Brothers of the Elderly organization, I took it in stride as an enriching, learning experience. Putting aside the generational age groups, volunteering with the organization reminded me a lot of a college classroom with foreign students. While American students may be hesitant of foreign students at first, eventually, the two find common group and develop a friendship. The organization had a significant influence on enhancing my understanding of diversity and interacting with persons of different generations from my own.