Re-engage for good
Pathways to community engagement for retiring boomers
Today’s baby boomers are redefining life after 60. Just as they altered society’s perception of youth in the 1960s and 70s, baby boomers are challenging current perceptions about age and experience. On the front edge of the largest, healthiest, best educated population ever to live well into their 90s, this generation is looking for new meaning in their lives during retirement years.
With the impending retirement of these baby boomers across all sectors (corporate, government, and nonprofit), many analysts predict growing labor shortages in Broward County and elsewhere. These new retirees find themselves with intellectual capital to give but are met with various road blocks and limited options to contribute. This is resulting in unmet needs for both the organization and the volunteer.
The Community Foundation of Broward reached out to more than 250 baby boomers (ages 55-65) across Broward County through focus groups, surveys and key informant interviews to discover ways to tap the potential of this rich talent pool of adults. Local findings mirror national research. One notable finding is that retirees are challenged to find pathways to connect to opportunities that match their interests and skills.
Following its Community Experience Partnership (CEP) assessment, the Foundation hosted a community conversation with 300 leaders from across the county and painted a picture of what the community will quickly be facing and what we can do to capitalize on it. This event launched its work regarding older adults called Re-engage for Good.
The Foundation’s awareness and education campaign expanded with the Foundation hosting additional public discussions to broaden awareness and to help shape community perception of issues relating to engaging older adults. The Foundation’s website has been built-out to include research, news and publications on the topic. Specialty publications have been developed, as well as consistent work with community media outlets.
With a community as broad and diverse as Broward, the Foundation is working to develop pathways for boomer engagement. Central to this effort is equipping nonprofits and civic groups with strategies and tactics that they can employ to create opportunities for the new retiree. Planning is underway with a selected group of 15 organizations to help them craft strategies to capture the energy of this generation as employees or volunteers.
Also, essential to a smooth transition from career-minded professional to encore career holder/community volunteer, is providing assistance to soon-to-retire employees in planning for “life options” so they will be steered to a path of work for public good. Employers can further the reach of Re-engage for Good in Broward County by facilitating the transition that will enable their employees to do meaningful work that benefits the community during their retirement.
Based on lessons learned from previous leadership roles, activities have been designed to promote community-wide ownership of the work, both the related opportunities as well as the issue’s inherent problems. Roundtables are being held to foster connections between leaders of various sectors, and serve as the focus groups to identify projects that have the most promise. As projects are identified, the foundation hopes to foster collaboration in aspects of the work and develop models that can be applied as best practice.
