Wayne State Launches Intergenerational Wisdom Exchange
The ten-week program pairs university students with older Detroit residents to bridge the digital literacy gap.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Adult Education
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Wayne State University has launched the Intergenerational Wisdom Exchange to help older adults in Detroit gain essential technology skills. The initiative pairs students with seniors for a series of sessions focused on life stories and digital training.
Why it matters
The program directly addresses the digital literacy gap affecting older Black adults in Detroit, where proficiency levels remain unequal compared to national averages. By fostering connections across generations, the project aims to improve digital access and capability for vulnerable populations.
Nationally, 96% of adults have internet access, yet digital skills among those 65 and older are 40% lower than younger cohorts. Additionally, digital proficiency for Black Americans sits 10% below the national average.
The players
Wayne State University
This public research university in Detroit serves as the primary institution hosting and operating the Intergenerational Wisdom Exchange program.
The details
The 10-week curriculum is divided into two distinct halves, beginning with five weeks where students and older adults exchange personal life stories. In the remaining five weeks, the students provide direct training to the seniors on how to operate digital tablets.
Timeline
Program details were discussed on Local 4 Live on September 21, 2026.
Culture Shift
This program reflects a growing societal focus on bridging the digital divide, a trend that underscores the necessity of intergenerational support to ensure equitable access to modern technology. It represents a shift from purely institutional education toward community-based learning models.
Older residents in Detroit can participate in this structured 10-week program to gain hands-on training for digital tablets without cost or advanced technical requirements. The initiative provides a practical pathway for seniors to improve their digital literacy and connect with university students.
The takeaway
This initiative highlights that technological proficiency is often a social and educational challenge rather than just an equipment problem. Participants and community members can look for similar partnerships that emphasize communal learning to overcome barriers to digital adoption.
Further reading
Explore more initiatives in Adult Education to see how local programs are supporting lifelong learning in Detroit.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WDIV.
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