BOOMER ENGAGEMENT INVITING BOOMERS IN Andrea S. Taylor, Ph.D. Director of Training Center for Intergenerational Learning @ Temple University Philadelphia, PA

FIVE KEY STRATEGIES FOR INVITING BOOMERS IN

DREAM BIG

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES

THE FIVE STRATEGIES Know Who the Boomers Are Listen to Them Craft Compelling Opportunities that Connect Their Passion to Your Mission Create High Impact Messages Collaborate

Know Who the Boomers Are

Listen to Them

Craft Compelling Opportunities that Connect Their Passion to Your Mission

Create High Impact Messages

Collaborate

# 1: KNOW WHO THE BOOMERS ARE

Cohort size ( 1946-1964) Leading Edge – (born 1946-1954) Over 60 million They’re currently 54 – 62 years old This is the BOOM !!! 78 million Size

Leading Edge – (born 1946-1954)

Over 60 million They’re currently 54 – 62 years old

This is the BOOM !!!

Generational Influences Economic prosperity JFK Space exploration Civil rights & women’s movement Sexual revolution Woodstock Cuban missile crisis Vietnam War Kent State Assassinations JFK, MLK, Malcolm X 1946-1955

Economic prosperity

JFK

Space exploration

Civil rights & women’s movement

Sexual revolution

Woodstock

Cuban missile crisis

Vietnam War

Kent State

Assassinations JFK, MLK, Malcolm X

Values, Attitudes, & Preferences Optimism Team orientation Personal growth Health & wellness Youth orientation Work is all-important Political involvement Diversity awareness Environmental concerns 1946-1955

Optimism

Team orientation

Personal growth

Health & wellness

Youth orientation

Work is all-important

Political involvement

Diversity awareness

Environmental concerns

# 2: LISTEN TO THEM— THEY’RE THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE!

Expand Types of opportunities Offer Enrichment Offer varying Time commitments Provide Incentives Explore new ways to Structure opportunities #3: CRAFT COMPELLING OPPORTUNITIES Structure Time Types Incentives Enrichment

Begin by assessing the diversity of your current roles Direct Client Service (e.g. mentoring, friendly visiting) Indirect Client Service (e.g. sorting donations, house repair) Advocacy (e.g. writing letters, public speaking) Organizational Administrative (e.g. filing, data input) Organizational Capacity-Building (e.g. accountant, researcher) Organizational Managerial (e.g. project leader, committee chair) Organizational Governance (e.g. board member) Underutilized Underutilized Underutilized Underutilized Roles

Direct Client Service

(e.g. mentoring, friendly visiting)

Indirect Client Service

(e.g. sorting donations, house repair)

Advocacy

(e.g. writing letters, public speaking)

Organizational Administrative

(e.g. filing, data input)

Organizational Capacity-Building

(e.g. accountant, researcher)

Organizational Managerial

(e.g. project leader, committee chair)

Organizational Governance

(e.g. board member)

Offer opportunities with varying Time commitments Strategy #2 Time

Making regular ongoing opportunities more flexible Be a sub Come when called Job Sharing Taking turns Breaking it down Time

Be a sub

Come when called

Job Sharing

Taking turns

Breaking it down

Explore other ways to structure volunteer roles Strategy #3 Structure

Teams Types of Teams: Service delivery teams Problem-solving teams Leadership teams Team Management: Staff managed Self-managed (Self-Directed) Value of Teams : Increased job satisfaction Increased retention Increased creativity Structure

Types of Teams:

Service delivery teams

Problem-solving teams

Leadership teams

Team Management:

Staff managed

Self-managed (Self-Directed)

Value of Teams :

Increased job satisfaction

Increased retention

Increased creativity

Two Types of Roles Organizationally-defined Created by staff with no input from volunteers Volunteers recruited to fill existing slots Volunteer-defined Start with volunteer’s particular interests & skills An opportunity is created to utilize those unique qualities More effective way to utilize specialized skills Structure

Organizationally-defined

Created by staff with no input from volunteers

Volunteers recruited to fill existing slots

Volunteer-defined

Start with volunteer’s particular interests & skills

An opportunity is created to utilize those unique qualities

More effective way to utilize specialized skills

Telecommuting Volunteering from home or work through technology Technology can be used to: Complete tasks offsite Enable direct client service Manage distant volunteers Telecommuting Structure

Telecommuting

Volunteering from home or work through technology

Technology can be used to:

Complete tasks offsite

Enable direct client service

Manage distant volunteers

Offer a range of Incentives Strategy #4 Incentives

Think of incentives along a continuum Recognition Token gifts Major gifts Expense reimbursement Cash-equivalent benefits Cash Incentives

Recognition

Token gifts

Major gifts

Expense reimbursement

Cash-equivalent benefits

Cash

Enrich Opportunities Strategy #5 Opportunities

A recent poll determined that the… 50+ workforce could be doubled through small inducements such as: Learning new things, making new friends, putting career skills to use Opportunities

Service learning Leadership development Personal development enrichment Lifelong learning as an inducement to volunteering Opportunities

Service learning

Leadership development

Personal development enrichment

#4: CREATE HIGH IMPACT MESSAGES Information/Media Explosion Pre-1950 Today’s Conditioned Response

Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market Why Market To break through the CLUTTER!

Volunteering Think of it as a face-lift for your spirit

And once they’re in the door… #5: COLLABORATE Ask people’s opinions Involve them in decision-making Address their concerns Help them reach their goals Empower them to become leaders LISTEN!

Ask people’s opinions

Involve them in decision-making

Address their concerns

Help them reach their goals

Empower them to become leaders

LISTEN!

For more information: email DGoldberg@ComingofAge.org