A warm cup of coffee paired with some friendly banter will be a mainstay on the menu at The Village at St. Clair, thanks to a new partnership between Schlegel Villages and students in St. Clair College's Protection, Security and Investigation (PSI) and Police Foundations programs.
Coffee and Companionship is a student-led initiative, where a group of students will visit neighbours at the on-campus long-term care home to spend an hour with residents, and share stories, experiences and wisdom.
Mckinley Lenehan and a handful of her peers made their first visit to Schlegel Village on Feb. 17, 2026.
"I'm doing this because I think it's a great opportunity for students, but also for the residents here at Schlegel Village," Lenehan said. "It's a good way for us to build connections between different generations, and I think they have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to share with us."
These visits will happen on a weekly basis for the remainder of the semester in what Lenehan, in her second year of PSI, hopes will be a legacy initiative picked up by future students in these programs.
"Our students are all eager to learn and improve communication skills and everything, so I think that's kind of another reason why I want to do it," she said.
20-year-old student Haidar Ghassan, a first-year PSI student, was paired up with a lovely woman named Isabel Ouellette. The two spoke for two minutes before realizing they were both from Saskatchewan.
"We realized it's a small world," Ghassan said. "Being able to change their routine and make them feel accepted is great. To hear her say that she feels lucky and accepted, to have people come in and talk to her, is heartwarming. It brings a smile to my face."
Ghassan and Ouellette spoke candidly for an hour, often leaning toward one another with beaming smiles. Ouellette couldn't help but playfully and repeatedly tap her new friend on the arm. That was her subtle way of expressing a friendship built on trust, reaffirming that the companionship – despite the age and culture gap – was welcome.
"One hundred per cent, I like it. I'm getting to trust him," said Ouellette. "I wasn't too sure when I sat down, but now I trust him, and I feel good."
Ghassan said in policing and security professions, they are required to be able to speak and interact with people across generations, and this initiative helps him gain perspective.
"It opens your eyes to the world, because you're so secluded into your own world that you don't know what's actually going on past your own experiences," he said.
Ed Marocko, the program coordinator for Police Foundations and PSI, says these meetups provide companionship and social stimulation for seniors, offering students a chance to learn from the lived experiences of older adults, helping build intergenerational bridges and foster mutual respect, all while creating a legacy of service and compassion for future cohorts of PSI/PF Society members.
"As future public safety professionals, we understand that service begins long before a badge is earned," Prof. Marocko said. "It begins with empathy, outreach, and a genuine connection to those around us, especially our elders, who hold a wealth of wisdom and life experience."
Marocko also likes the initiative because it strengthens the students' ties to the community and demonstrates their commitment to inclusive service.
"Engaging with elders enhances communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills," he said. "These are key competencies in law enforcement and public service and volunteering in this meaningful outreach program sets our students apart in competitive recruitment processes."
Alexandra Frabotta, the program coordinator for Social Service Worker - Gerontology program, was integral with helping create connections between the College and the Village at St. Clair, paving the way for the students to engage.
"Collaboration across the College enriches the student experience by turning learning into meaningful connections beyond the classroom," said Prof. Frabotta.
And for their part, the students jumped on the occasion to take part, without hesitation.
During the first week of meetups, a student and senior realized their mutual love of chess. Next week, he's bringing his chessboard for a game or two. It's these types of intergenerational connections that benefit both the St. Clair students and their neighbours at Schlegel Villages.
"It's humans coming together at a time where the world is awful. And this is just one hour a week, 60 minutes that we can take the time to just connect with each other," he said.
"And that's what everybody needs right now."
