Project SHINE was created in Philadelphia, PA at the Intergenerational Center at Temple University by Nancy Henkin. She hoped that this new project would help ease the transition for older adult immigrants, who, after spending their entire lives in another way of life, have painful experiences integrating into a new culture. Project SHINE was just the beginning at Temple University; it runs at eighteen other campuses across the country. Through this service-learning program, college students serve as tutors, coaches, mentors of sort in ESL classrooms in community agencies that serve immigrants and older adults. This program not only benefits the older adults, who get to interact with college students, learn English, learn about America from one of its younger generations, they are also able to share their wisdom with young people, give first-hand accounts of what life is like in a part of the world that is unfamiliar to many people. This is a program that makes sense, benefits younger and older individuals, and meets a community need.
For more information on Project SHINE visit www.projectshine.org