Goodfellows: Indias first senior companionship program for intergenerational friendships

India has historically been an extended family-oriented culture in which elders were always respected. In fact, we were all proud of a system that taught children moral values via storytelling by elders. However, as living space has shrunk and urbanization has increased, there has been a shift toward the "unitary family," leaving elders to care for themselves. Intergenerational Learning is a form of learning in which generations collaborate to gain skills, values, and knowledge that benefits all generations. It provides significant learning experiences and results in a shift in perspective.

Goodfellows is India's first senior companionship program for intergenerational friendships. Goodfellows, an early-age start-up that provides genuine meaningful companionship to elders through young, educated graduate students who have been rigorously assessed for emotional intelligence and empathy intelligence, was recently launched in the presence of Ratan Tata and other notable youth icons. Goodfellows has spent the last six months completing a productive beta and is now available in Mumbai, with Pune, Chennai, and Bangalore as the next target urban centers. During the beta testing stage, Goodfellows received over 800 applications from recent grads looking to work at Goodfellows, with a shortlisted cohort of 20 providing companionship to seniors in Mumbai. Senior citizens can use the services by registering on thegoodfellows.in or by sending a missed call at +91 8779524307.

In addition, Goodfellows organizes monthly events handpicked for the enjoyment & engagement of Grandpals who take part with their Goodfellows, deepening and enjoying the bond in a different atmosphere. This allows the Grandpals to meet one another and other recent graduates, fostering a sense of community.

In the near future, Goodfellows plans to provide travel companions for seniors who are hesitant to travel due to a lack of security or company, and it also plans to expand its programs to the handicapped community, which faces similar or more challenges.

Youth must recognize elders' earlier contributions and thus show respect, while elders must move forward with a sense of detachment and give the reins to youth to handle affairs. This shared understanding and interdependence is the driving force behind the development of intergenerational solidarity.