Swampscott Seeks Community Life Center Task Force Members

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Swampscott is looking for volunteers to be part of a task force charged with determining the need and feasibility of an intergenerational Community Life Center.

The Swampscott CLC Feasibility Task Force will help draft a Request for Proposals to hire a consultant to work on the study, review RFP applications, and then recommend to the Select Board a consultant to work on the study.

The committee will also work with the consultant to assess the town's current conditions, as well as the community's needs and wants, determine what, if any, gaps exist and how to fill those gaps— with existing assets, with existing and new assets, or with new assets.

"An intergenerational Community Life Center will help address one of the most devastating issues we have in town, loneliness and social isolation," said Katie Phalen, a Swampscott Select Board member and liaison to the Swampscott CLC Feasibility Committee. "And we hope it will foster mutual respect and understanding across generations that can only make the fabric of our community stronger."

Volunteers will have the opportunity to collaborate with town officials, fellow community members, and a professional consultant the town will hire to conduct the study. This commitment will involve attending regular meetings, participating in workshops, and promoting public forums, reviewing and providing feedback, and contributing to the overall study.

"We have an aging community, one that is aging better and beautifully, and our citizens need a center that meets their needs," said Nancy Nugent, a member of Swampscott's Senior Center.

No prior experience is required and individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, as it is essential to capture a wide range of community interests and needs. Volunteers should be able to commit approximately one or two evenings per month over the course of the next 12 months.

The Task Force will be meeting on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Senior Center starting on Oct. 28.

Those interested should apply through the town of Swampscott website by Sept. 17.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)