VARIATIONS IN BENEFITS OF INTERGENERATIONAL TUTORING IN THE "NEW NORMAL”

This study explored variations in self-perceived benefits of intergenerational tutoring. The study's sample consisted of 329 older adults who tutored children in-person in the 2021–2022 school year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the respondents had experienced a period in which volunteering was remote, virtual, or not possible. Demographic information was collected in a fall pre-test survey, identifying first-time volunteers (first time volunteering in ten years), caregivers (100 or more hours in the last two years helping someone who needed assistance), and male volunteers. Self-perceived benefits of tutoring (physical, emotional, and cognitive health, increased social activities, use time more productively, contribute to the well-being of children, and feel better about myself) were collected in a spring post-test survey. Being a first-time volunteer was significantly associated with improved health (X2 = 4.17, p = 0.041, Cramer's V = 0.11), even after controlling for baseline self-reported health (p = 0.020). A larger proportion of first-time volunteers (34.2%) reported improvements in at least two areas of health (physical, emotional, and cognitive) due to their involvement in the intergenerational tutoring program, compared to non-first-time volunteers (18.5%). There were no significant differences in perceived benefits for caregivers or males. These findings suggest that targeting non-volunteers for involvement in tutoring programs may maximize health benefits of engagement. Specifically targeting males and caregivers may not be necessary, given that they benefit similarly to other populations.

Design Futuring for Love, Friendship, and Kinships: Five Perspectives on Intimacy

Human relationships, intimacy and the role of technology within it constantly change, catapulted in 2020 by COVID-19. We take this social rupture as an opportunity to reimagine possible futures for love, friendship, and kinships. Through design futuring and related approaches, we offer five prompts we developed for imagining alternative futures exploring a diverse range of intimacies. Through generating responses to the prompts, we offer alternative intimate futures as well as reflections on how such 'prompts for futuring' can be generative for design research. Our work extends calls for diversifying design futuring, imploring design researchers to consider diverse and inclusive ways of designing for futures, especially for human relationships and intimacy. © 2022 Owner/Author.