Volunteering & Older Adults
Add life to your years and years to your life!
New Boomer Tools and Resources
Volunteer Canada and Manulife Financial released the Bridging the Gap report in December 2010. The report shares the findings of a pan-Canadian research study identifying gaps between what Canadians look for when they consider volunteering and how organizations engage their volunteers. The research identified baby boomer volunteers as a unique and important demographic group. The study identified critical gaps between what boomers look for in volunteer opportunities, and what organizations currently offer.
Volunteer Canada and Manulife are focussed on addressing these gaps through their Building the Bridge campaign. As part of the multifaceted campaign, the partners are developing a suite of digital tools meant to ease the barriers to volunteer engagement in Canada.
New Tools Serve Boomers and Voluntary Organizations
The first tool, titled Transitions, Milestones and Legacies Retirement Planning Module on Volunteering, highlights the benefits of volunteering as part of a robust retirement plan. The tool allows retired persons and those approaching retirement to discover volunteer opportunities that best suit their motivations and life circumstances.
The second tool, titled Building Blocks for Boomer Volunteer Engagement, describes the characteristics of baby boomers and highlights the opportunities and barriers to their engagement. Building Blocks provides organizations with strategies and resources for the effective engagement and retention of baby boomer volunteers.
New Fact Sheet Identifies Behaviours and Characteristics of Boomer Volunteer Engagement
As part of the Building the Bridge campaign, Volunteer Canada is creating a series of four fact sheets examining the behaviours and characteristics of four distinct demographic groups identified in the Bridging the Gap research: youth, baby boomers, families, and employer-supported volunteers.
Here is the latest fact sheet on baby boomer volunteers. The fact sheet identifies the unique characteristics of boomer volunteers, and outlines barriers and opportunities to their engagement.
In 2006, the oldest boomers turned 60 years old and, on average, they can expect to live to 83 years of age. Most boomers remain active well beyond retirement. See a publication about Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement, or visit the Points of Light Foundation to find out more information. www.pointsoflight.org
Approximately 77 million babies were born during the years 1946-1964.
What does this have to do with volunteering?
- as our population ages, we will need even more volunteers to help us with providing the services that our population has come to expect in health care, recreation, arts and culture, faith communities, and more.
- volunteering is good for our health – older adults who volunteer experience less social isolation, have a stronger support community and feel the pride of continuing to contribute to our society.
There are many volunteer opportunities in our community that are perfect for seniors who have both time and energy to share. Volunteering is an invaluable opportunity for the golden years! Contact the Volunteer Centre today to find out more about current volunteer opportunities in Guelph & Wellington County.
Click here to find out about the most recent version of A Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario or visit: www.OntarioSeniors.ca
Discover how getting involved in your community can work wonders for your health and well-being. Check out www.volunteer50plus.ca.
Is it too late to engage the baby boomers as volunteers?
by Cathy Taylor, Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington
Ontario Nonprofit Network invited Cathy Taylor, Executive Director of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington to share her thoughts on two papers that focus on an emerging issue of significance to scholars and practitioners - the impact of the aging of baby boomers on the nonprofit sector. Here are her thoughts....