DISCOVERING THE ASSETS OF OLDER VOLUNTEERS: TAPPING INTO EXPERIENCE

Definition of Volunteering

Doing more than you have to

because you want to,

in a cause you consider good.

Source: Ivan Scheier

The Ideal Volunteer

• Has a real desire to make a difference for a cause she or he cares about

• Is able to use past experience from work and other volunteering

• Wants to learn new things and meet new people

AARP SURVEYWhy Do You Volunteer?

• 1. General Desire to Help People = 67%• 2. Desire to Make Community a Better

Place = 56%• 3. Personal Commitment to Cause =

54%

Erikson’s Stage Theory

• Concept of Growth Potential Through the Entire Life Cycle or “Generativity”

• Concern for Guiding the Next Generation

• Leaving a Legacy– “I am what survives of me.”

Viewpoints

• The Giving Years• My Years• The Next Stage• The Next Step• “Age brings a powerful impulse to make

the most of every day”

Assets in Age

• Age-associated wisdom • Brain growth & development continue

into old age – the concept of “neuroplasticity of aging”

• Mental and psychosocial functioning often improve with age, even if physical health, & some elements of memory decline.

One Sample

• Volunteering as a SCORE mentor - a community of 13,000 diverse volunteers- all committed to helping small business owners succeed. Whether you have owned your own small business, come from a Fortune 500 company, retired, college student, have a sincere commitment for helping small businesses or volunteering, there is a place for you as SCORE volunteer.

Increasing Engagement

• Relationships from one sphere draw people into activism in another area.

• If someone from your “moral community asks you to volunteer for a cause, it’s really hard to say No.”

» From Robert Putnam, on Civic Engagement

Golden Key

I WAS ASKED!

What Motivates Our Volunteers?

• Have you surveyed your current team?• Have you involved them in recruiting

people they know?• Has your staff invited seniors they know

to consider becoming volunteers?• Have your board members invited

someone?

Recruiting Perspective

• What do I believe about the people I’m trying to recruit?

• Truth is, either you believe they will do great things or you don’t.

• Either way, potential volunteers will know how you feel

• Your approach may determine whether or not volunteers believe in what you’re doing.

Reframe the Approach

• New language shapes new behavior

• Move from “What do we do with our volunteers?” as a problem

• To “How can we engage new talent to accomplish our mission?”

Preparing the Culture

• How can we develop our organizational culture where volunteer engagement and involvement is central to all our programs?

• How can we develop a culture in which volunteers are completely integrated?

Readiness

• Readiness Roadmap is a free, online, comprehensive tool that is designed to introduce you …

• to new resources or maximize your existing resources to use the professional skills of volunteers.– Tap Root Foundation’s Readiness Road Map -

Organizational Commitment

• When agency leaders expand their vision, volunteering becomes a strategic priority:– Create an experience that is meaningful– Develop volunteer & staff skills– Demonstrate impact to supporters– Tap into whole range of abilities & interests

Cultural Elements of Success (1)

• Leadership demonstrates support• Staff & existing volunteers are prepared

to welcome and support new volunteers• Organization has teambuilding

environment• Organization has a plan to include new

types of skilled, experienced volunteers

Culture (2)

• Organization is open to communicating and considering new approaches to service improvement/expansion

• Organization is committed to matching new volunteers with interests & skills

• Feedback throughout organization is a continuous loop.

Evaluating Volunteer Impact (1)

• What results do you want volunteers to produce?

• What do you expect individual volunteers to accomplish in each position category?

• What ethnic and cultural diversity do you want represented among your volunteers?

Evaluating Impact (2)

• What kinds of skills would you like volunteers to bring to your services?

• What reaction do you want your consumers to have to services received from volunteers?

• What outreach efforts do you expect your director of volunteer involvement to make?

Evaluating Our Efforts

• How welcoming are we to new volunteers?– Hospitality– Introductions– Space– Equipment– Orientation

Managing Volunteers: Best Practices

• Matching skills with assignments – 45%• Recognizing contributions – 35%• Measuring impact annually – 30%• Providing training & professional

development – 25%• Staff trained to work with volunteers-

19%

Successful Volunteerism

• 1. Empowerment

• 2. Flexibility

• 3. Connection

Seniors as Volunteers:Statistics per CNCS in 2013

20 Million Seniors Volunteering

Nearly 3 Billion Hours –

a Value of $67 Billion

Still More Statistics

Value of Volunteer Time

National estimated value for 2013

$20.14 per hour

From Independent Sector

What Seniors Say about Motivations to Volunteer

• From March 31, 2006 blog about Senior Corps: [some of the 26 Joys on list]

• Answering a need• Building lasting relationships• Developing new skills• Making use of my time and talents

Engagement with Seniors

• Flexibility in scheduling• Work place experiences• Life experiences with client issues• Realistic about own capacities• Desire to be useful• Others _____________

Tapping in Experience: Elements

• 1. Strategic Plan• 2. Decision about Managing Volunteers• 3. Position Descriptions• 4. Risk Analysis• 5. Recruiting Procedures

Elements [2]

• 6. Training/ Orientation Program• 7. Budget & Other Resources Allocated

and Integrated into Annual Budge• 8. Management and Tracking System• 9. Evaluation Criteria Established and

Implemented

Future Vision

• Volunteers will be working with caring, skillful, supportive professional persons

• In a variety of arenas:– Research– Advocacy– Decision Making

And they will also

• Connect disparate people & services• Offer administrative assistance• Find funds• Train volunteers & staff• Provide direct services

Giving the best, most effective & humane service possible!

Over the past 37 years, AgeOptions has establisheda national reputation for meeting the needs, wants and expectations of older adultsin suburban Cook County.We are recognized as a leaderin developing and helping todeliver innovative community-based resources and optionsto the evolving, diversecommunities we serve.

1048 Lake Street, Suite 300 phone (800)699-9043 Fax (708)524-0870Oak Park, Illinois 60301-1102 (708)383-0258 TTY (708)524-1653ageoptions.org