Lorenzetti, Liza Ann KarenJamal, AamirDukart, Amber2024-01-242024-01-242024-01-22Dukart, A. (2024). Exploring stories of reciprocity in intergenerational programming (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.https://hdl.handle.net/1880/11805110.11575/PRISM/42895Ageism, individualism, and the dominance of nuclear families through capitalist and settler colonial policies have contributed to an age-segregated society with fewer connections between generations in dominant Canadian society. In response to our current social context, intergenerational programs (IGPs) that facilitate the development of reciprocal, non-familial relationships between generations have become increasingly popular. Despite a growing body of research on IGPs, contextualized and in-depth knowledge of the experiences of older adults and youth are largely missing. Additionally, very few studies explicitly center reciprocity within intergenerational relations, and instead focus on the impacts of these relationships for only one generation. I used narrative inquiry methodology to explore in depth the experiences of reciprocity of four youth and four older adults involved in an IGP in Calgary, Alberta. I used individual narrative interviews and participatory video methods to elicit stories about the intergenerational friendships that participants formed in the IGP and the impacts of these relationships. Through narrative analysis, I identified four resonant threads across individual interview transcripts and videos. These resonant threads offer a deeper understanding of youth and older adults’ experiences of reciprocity within their intergenerational friendships and speak to the complexities of reciprocity within these relations. I conclude by reflecting on how these stories can change the way we think about, conduct research on, and facilitate IGPs and make recommendations for research, social work practice, and policy. Keywords: intergenerational program, reciprocity, older adults, youth, narrative inquiry, participatory video, social workenUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.intergenerational programreciprocityolder adultsyouthnarrative inquiryparticipatory videosocial workSocial WorkIndividual and Family StudiesSociology--OrganizationalRecreationGerontologymaster thesis