Finding resources on baby boomers
Abstract
Offering opportunities to capture the talents and experience of the baby boomers, and engaging them in the process of solving critical social issues through service, must become high priority goals for our nation in the years ahead. There is tremendous potential to provide solutions to some of our most pressing social needs — including the expanding need for independent living support — with this group of potential volunteers. This effective practice, submitted by Temple University in April 2008, offers a list of resources for those who have had limited experience with this population, or anyone who would like to learn more.Issue
Capturing the experience and energy of the baby boomers to help meet critical needs will be a priority for the Corporation and the larger nonprofit sector over the coming years. This can seem like a challenge for programs that have operated within a certain paradigm up until now. Because there are so many baby boomers — 77 million born between the years of 1946 and 1964 — it is difficult to make generalizations or assumptions about this diverse group. What motivates the baby boomers? Will they rise to the challenge of volunteerism in the same ways that previous generations before them have done?Action
General Information on Baby Boomers"Baby Boomers at Mid-Life: The Future of Aging in North Carolina," by the Center for Aging Research and Educational Services, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC. July, 1997.
"Hispanic Baby Boomers Envision Retirement: A special Analysis of the Baby Boomers Envision Retirement II Study," Prepared for AARP. October, 2004.
"Living in the Community: A Rural and Non-Rural Comparison," by J. Krout and R. Maiden. New York State Office for the Aging. http://aging.state.ny.us/explore/project2015/sumLivC.pdf [235 Kb]
"Ohio's Aging Baby Boom Population," Department of Human and Community
Resource Development, Vol. 2, No. 2. November, 2001.
"The Lives and Times of the Baby Boomers," by A. O'Rand and M. E. Hughes.
Published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the Population Reference Board. October, 2004.
"The Forgotten Baby Boom Generation," by A. Stein Wellner, American Demographics. February, 2001.
Boomer Volunteers
"Baby Boomers and the New Age of Volunteerism," by D. Lindblom. Washington, D.C.: Corporation for National Service. July 17, 2001). http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/465/lindblom.pdf [1.86 Mb]
"Baby Boomers and Volunteering: An Analysis of the Current Population Survey," CNCS, Issue Brief. December, 2005.
"Baby Boomers Approach Age 60: From the Age of Aquarius to the Age of Responsibility," by Pew Research Center. December, 2005.
"Baby Boomers Envision Retirement II - Key Findings," Prepared for AARP by Roper ASW. May, 2004.
"Enhancing Volunteerism among Boomers," Robert Prisuta, Prepared for the Conference on Baby Boomers and Retirement: Impact on Civic Engagement, Oct 8-10, 2003.
"Exploring the Next Generation of Retirees: The Baby Boomers," by Merrill Associates, Topic of the Month. August, 2002.
Talking to Baby Boomers about Volunteering - Part 1: Third Quarter of Life Passions by S. Martin, Charity Channel. Volunteer Management Review. November 2, 2005.
"The Importance of Civic Engagement to Older Americans," by C. Keyser, Innovations Initiatives, Issue 2. 2003.
"The New Face of Retirement: Older Americans, Civic Engagement, and the Longevity Revolution," by Peter D. Hart Research Associates. September, 1999.
"Understanding how Philadelphians age 50+ view Volunteerism: Focus Group
Summary Report," by J. Bressler, K. Jackson, E. Montalvo and N. Henkin. Center for Intergenerational Learning, Temple University. http://www.comingofage.org/documents/coa_color_focus_group_report.pdf [185 Kb]
"The New Face of Work Survey," by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures. 2005 "The New Retirement Mindscape," by Ameriprise Financial. January, 2006
"Volunteering in Under-Resourced Rural Communities: Final Report," by B. Shrestha and C. Cihlar; Points of Light Foundation, 2004.
Organizational Capacity to Manage Volunteers
"Balancing Act: The Challenges and Benefits of Volunteers," The Urban Institute. December, 2004.
"Capitalizing on A New Work Ethic for Volunteer Recruitment," by Merrill Associates, Topic of the Month. January, 2002.
Thinking the Unthinkable: Are We Using the Wrong Model for Volunteer Work? by Steve McCurley and Susan Ellis, e-volunteerism.com. April-June, 2003.
"Volunteer Management Capacity in America's Charities and Congregations: A Briefing Report," Urban Institute. February, 2004.
"Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers," Urban Institute. June, 2004.
Ron Zemeke, Clair Raines, Bob Filipczak (2000). "Generations at Work: Managing the clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and Nexters in Your Workplace." Amacom American Management Association, New York.
Organizational Capacity to Engage Boomers and Older Adults
"A Tale of Two RSVP Directors," PowerPoint by D. Scott Martin, Program Manager, RSVP New Castle County, DE. To receive a copy, contact him at scott.martin@state.de.us.
BOOMNET by Team Consultants, Westerner Australian Government, 2001.
"Civic Engagement and the Baby Boomer Generation: Research, Policy and Practice Perspectives," Laura Wilson and Sharon Simson, editors. The Haworth Press, 2006.
Creating Boomer-friendly Volunteer Opportunities, Part 1: Restructuring Existing Opportunities by D. Scott Martin. The Charity Channel, Volunteer Management Review. Posted January 18, 2006.
Creating Boomer-friendly Volunteer Opportunities, Part 2: Developing Skilled Short term Projects by D. Scott Martin. The Charity Channel, Volunteer Management Review. Posted February 8, 2006.
Creating Boomer-friendly Volunteer Opportunities, Part 3: Groups by D. Scott Martin. The Charity Channel, Volunteer Management Review. Posted February 15, 2006.
"Institutional Capacity for Elder Service," by N. Morrow-Howell. Inter-University Consortium for International Social Development, 2003.
Minnesota Summit on the Future Role of Senior Volunteers: A Planning and Recruitment Concept by L. Wilson and J. Pribyl. The Journal of Volunteer Administration, Volume 20, Number 3, 2002, pp. 26-32.
"Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement," by Harvard School of Public Health - MetLife Foundation. 2004.
"Respectability in America: Promising Practices in Civic Engagement among Adults 50+," Final Report by National Council on Aging and Holmes Research and Consulting. August, 24, 2006.
"RespectAbility Research Forums," by National Council On the Aging. July, 2004.
"RespectAbility Web Survey," by the National Council on Aging. March, 2005.
Talking to Baby Boomers about Volunteering - Part 1: Third Quarter of Life Passions by D. Scott Martin. The Charity Channel, Volunteer Management Review. Posted November 2, 2005.
Talking to Baby Boomers about Volunteering - Part 2: Volunteering as a Career Transition Strategy by D. Scott Martin. The Charity Channel, Volunteer Management Review. Posted November 16, 2005.
"The Leadership Institute for Active Aging: A Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Model," by L. Wilson, J. Steele, E. Thompson and C. D'heron. The Journal of Volunteer Administration, Volume 20, Number 2, 2002, pp. 28-36.
"The Strength of the Infrastructure of Volunteer Agencies and Its Capacity to Absorb ‘Baby Boomer' Volunteers," C. Johnson, Conference on Baby Boomers and Retirement: Impact on Civic Engagement, October 8-10, 2003.
Context
As a population, the baby boomers are better educated and will live longer and healthier lives than any generation before them. They offer a wide array of experience, talent, and available time. If properly engaged, they could not only have a positive impact on some of our country's most challenging social problems, but they could alleviate one of the volunteer sector's greatest hurdles — finding volunteers during the workday.Citation
Resources listed were compiled by the Center for Intergenerational Learning, Temple University, 2007.Parts of this effective practice were adapted from the Corporation for National and Community Service Strategic Plan 2006-2010: Focus Area Four: Harnessing Baby Boomers' Experience
Outcome
In addition to helping solve community needs, service offers significant benefits for Boomer volunteers. Important health benefits of volunteering have already been documented. Older Americans who receive or deliver service are more connected with the community, remain more active, and have a more optimistic outlook.Posted On
April 4, 2008For More Information
Resources
From The Resource Center: A listing of online publications, tip sheets, effective practices, library publications, and more.http://nationalserviceresources.org/volunteer-member-staff-management/baby-boomer-volunteers