Elderberries Library: 2022-11-03 Talk

Talk by Dan to the Planning With Pride conference

All this talk of isolation, abuse, and grief - but what 2SLGBTQ+ older adults want the most is a sense of community. 2SLGBTQ+ older adult programming has been growing in communities across Canada for some time now, and these groups have been providing their participants with something hard to find these days: friends, learning, and laughter. It's not all advocacy - there's just good old-fashioned fun, too. Catch up with us on Day Three to hear from three groups across Canada creating a sense of community for the 2SLGBTQ+ older adults in their area.

The talk

History of Elderberries
Our programming: monthly socials - the time is fixed, everything else varies: venue, topic, zoom or no, level of activity, indoor/outdoor. The event format and topic are set at board meetings a few months in advance and generally one boardmember will "champion" an event - e.g. bringing in a couple of lesbian mystery writers to talk about their latest books, how I spent my winter vacation at the Arctic Polar Bear Research Station, a picnic, no-talent show, feedback to the Canadian Virtual Hospice session, writing the Elders Research-ee Bill Of rights.
During Covid: zoom meetings: sometimes check ins, sometimes a discussion topic, sometimes a guest speaker.
What people like, what they don’t: to be filled in in a few days from the survey.
Here's our greatest challenge with in-person events: someone new will show up and walk into the room and everyone will be already talking, in little circles and they'll just stand there. So what we do is assign a boardmember to be the greeter and introducer for each session.
What programming is important for Q folk? In my opinion, a focussed talk, then social time and food is the trifecta. I really like variety.
About specialized groups vs. integration: this is an intrinsic human need and special enjoyment, to spend time with your own kind. You could say the same thing about Italian or Jewish social clubs.