Any high school student who completes the Forge2gether Training and passes the certification quiz with at least 80 percent can become an interviewer. Students may interview any adult who is 50 years or older, including family members, neighbors, family friends, teachers, community elders, or approved residents of senior living facilities. Conversations may be held in person or virtually.

All students must complete the Forge2gether Training before conducting an interview. After training, students take the certification quiz and must score 80 percent or higher to qualify. If a student does not pass on the first attempt, they may retake the quiz. If the second attempt is still below 80 percent, the student will be asked to write a short reflective essay about what they hope to learn through Forge2gether. If you ever need help, email info@forge2gether.org.

How many service hours do I earn and how are they verified? First-time participants earn three verified service hours for completing the training and submitting their first full interview. Each additional completed interview earns two verified service hours. All interviews, surveys, recordings, and reflections must be submitted correctly before hours can be verified. An adult member of the Forge2gether team reviews each submission to ensure quality and completion.

A full submission includes the recorded interview, the elder’s pre- and post-surveys, your Teen Administrative Survey, and correct file upload. Students should remind their interviewee that surveys are private and reviewed only by independent researchers. If any link does not load, refresh the page or email info@forge2gether.org for help. We also provide participants with a printable flow chart and checklist.

If you have any questions or need support, please email us at info@forge2gether.org. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.