Each segment provides different information and is independent of the previous segment for understanding of the material presented. In the Seniors and Kids Involved in Learning Life's Skills program, older adults volunteer in 4-H groups as project leaders, activity leaders, teen advisors, and resource people. The program objectives are to assist youth in achieving socially responsive behavior and a mature set of values and ethics characteristic of a good individual in one's culture and to assist elders in continued involvement in community affairs through feeling useful to others. When working on a particular assignment, volunteers do not visit just once, but rather continue to offer their services to a particular client as long as their expertise is needed. For a small fee, volunteers also provide workshops on how to start a business or on other related topics.
Volunteers have an average of thirty-five years of business experience.
In the Northumberland Center Components of the Side by Side program, both nursing home residents and participating youth have special needs. Side by Side program goals are to provide opportunities for service, relationship building, positive interaction between generations, learning, and positive socialization. Special needs of participants might be physical, emotional, cognitive, or intellectual impairments, or they might be needs relating to illness, poverty, abuse, grief, adoption, or loss. The Wilderness School components of the Side by Side project provide weekly opportunities for youthful offenders enrolled and residing at the Wilderness School to visit and work with nursing care residents at a long term care facility. The Serve Our Seniors project is a three year intergenerational home fire, safety and preventative maintenance project designed to provide low or no cost home maintenance to the elderly.