The paper reports preliminary results of the author’s dissertation project involving description and analysis of intergenerational learning in socially excluded persons. The paper combines social exclusion, a concept informing discussion on social systems and eradication of poverty across EU member states, with intergenerational transmission, specifically in persons suffering from or at risk of social exclusion.

Intergenerational learning is “a process through which individuals of all ages acquire skills and knowledge as well as attitudes and values, by everyday experience, from all available resources imaginable and from all influences in their own lived worlds” (European approaches to inter-generational lifelong learning, Hatton-Yeo, 2008, 3). What contrasts intergenerational learning with other types of learning more than anything else is its focus on individual participants, people representing different generations who enter the learning process actively. One can certainly agree with Ramon and Turrini (2008), who point out that intergenerational learning is hardly anything else but a post-modern label for a process of passing on/inheriting one’s ancestors’ legacy, whereby social and cultural knowledge is transmitted from seniors to juniors. In the present context, it is due to take this reasoning one step further, especially in the light of information society development, a process implying a transformation of the roles of the individual generations. This obliges us to view intergenerational learning as a bidirectional process of transmission of knowledge, skills and experience between generations. The processes of intergenerational learning outlined above can be explored in connection with the process of social exclusion. It is a process restricting certain individuals’, families’, groups’ or local communities’ access to resources they need to be able to participate in social (preventing sharing of statuses and social institutions), economic (causing poverty and exclusion from living standards and life opportunities, usually by marginalizing them in the labour market and by unemployment) and political life of society by denying them civil, political and basic human rights – denying their right to participate on social and cultural capital, education and social values (cf. Navrátil, Mareš,  and others). Personssuffering from or at risk of social exclusion share specific living circumstances, adopting thus specific life strategies (behavioural patterns, personal values and principles) enabling them to adapt to these life circumstances.

The research survey therefore focuses on finding out in which life phases intergenerational learning occurs and on its content and participants (the generations being children, parents and grandparents) and directionality of learning among them. The author also focuses on factors influencing intergenerational learning in families of persons suffering from social exclusion.

Cherri, H.CH.Y. Intergenerational learning in Hong Kong: A narrative inquiry. [online]. University of Nottingham. 2008, 352 s. [cit.2008-15-11]. Dostupné z: http://etheses.nottingham.ac.uk/486/1/Cherri_Ho_EdD_Thesis_2008.pdf Hatton-Yeo . Europian aproches to inter-generational lifelong leasing, , 2008, s.3. Jakoubek, M. Romové – konec (ne)jednoho mýtu. Praha: Socioklub, 2004 Lewis, O. The Culture of Poverty, Scientific American, 1996, sv. 215, č.4. Mareš, P. Faktory sociálního vyloučení. Praha: VÚPSV, 2006. Možný, I.. Rodina a společnost. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2006. 311 s. ISBN 80-86429-58-X Navrátil, P. Romové v české společnosti. Praha: Portál, 2003. Newmanová, S. History and current status of the intergenerational field. [online]. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh university, 1995. [cit.2009-18-04]. Ramon, A. Ch., Turrini, M. Grandparents and Grandsons: poetics of an intergenerational learning experience. eLearning Papers. www.elearningpapers.eu. 1 Nº 8, April 2008. ISSN 1887-1542. Singly, F.D. Sociologie současné rodiny. Praha: Portál, 1999. 127 s. ISBN 80-7178-249-1 Williams, A., Nussbaum, J. F. Intergenerational communication across the life span. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrens Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 2001, s. 342. ISBN 0-8058-2248-8.