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Civic Engagement Initiative
Background
A History of Using Volunteers
From its beginning the Administration on Aging (AoA) and its state and local networks of organizations and leaders have counted on volunteer support. Volunteers have been significant contributors to aging services network, serving at every level and in the delivery of all types of services. Each year about ten million older people use Older Americans Act services, whose delivery largely depends upon the efforts of half a million volunteers.
Volunteers help in many ways, including: assisting at group meals sites and delivering meals to the home-bound elderly; escorting and transporting frail older persons to health care services, to essential shopping errands and to other needed services; visiting homebound elderly to help ensure their well-being through regular social contacts; repairing and weatherizing the homes of low-income and frail older persons; counseling older persons in a variety of areas including health promotion, nutrition, legal and financial concerns; serving as nursing home ombudsmen to prevent disputes and to help ensure the safety and well-being of residents in long-term care facilities; providing homemaking assistance to frail older persons; assisting in senior centers, day care, and other group programs for seniors; and helping during disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the recent Midwest floods; and serving on the advisory boards of state and local aging programs.
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Older Volunteers Help in Aging Programs
Older volunteers have always been the backbone of programs administered under the Older Americans Act, and they play a critical role in efforts to modernize long term care services in communities across the United States.
Public attention to the civic engagement of older Americans has increased considerably in the last few years. At last year’s ServiceNation Summit, more than 110 ServiceNation coalition members, including organizations representing older person, presented a vision to unleash the energy of citizens on our most pressing social challenges by strengthening and increasing community and national service opportunities. One proposed strategy is to provide older Americans opportunities to use their lifetime of learning and skills to help address America’s challenges.
Older volunteers are in an excellent position to volunteer. In many cases they may have the time as well as the experience and expertise to help in a variety of activities. Recent research findings, documented in The Health Benefits of Volunteering: a Review of Recent Research, also demonstrate the positive relationship between health and volunteering.
According to a research brief by the Corporation for National and Community Service, TThe Baby Boomers generation – those 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964— represent a potential boost to the volunteer world, not only because of the sheer size of the generation but also because of its members’ high levels of education, wealth, and skills. Harnessing their skills and accommodating their expectations will be critical to solving a wide range of social problems in the years ahead.
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AoA Civic Engagement Activities
Authorizing Legislation:
Title I, Section 102 14 (d);
Title II, Section 202 4(c);
Title III, Section 373 (d);
Title IV, Section 417
The OAA Amendments of 2006 highlight the role of volunteers as a strategy to support and enhance OAA programs. The amendments:
- provide guidelines for the use of volunteers at all levels in OAA programs;
- provide for multigenerational and civic engagement demonstration grants that encourage community capacity-building involving older individuals and demonstrate effectiveness and cost savings in meeting critical needs; and
- call for collaboration between the AoA and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in modernizing the way community-based organizations utilize older adults as volunteers
AoA’s long-range vision is to highlight the important role that volunteers, including older volunteers, play within the Aging Network and to provide them with innovative ways of using their skills and experience. AoA’s first steps in Civic Engagement include:
AoA Agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service
AoA and the Corporation are working together to help modernize the way public and private non- profit organizations, such as community and faith-based organizations, utilize older adults as volunteers to significantly increase the number of these adults who are engaged in activities that address the needs of vulnerable populations throughout the United States.
AoA Grantees
The Aging Network’s Volunteer Cooperative
In 2010, AoA funded the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) for a three year project to create “The National Resource Center on Engaging Volunteers in the Aging Network.”
This has been recently renamed “the Aging Network’s Volunteer Cooperative” at http://www.agingnetworksvolunteercollaborative.org/. The Cooperative will help the Aging Network expand and use volunteers,
especially Boomers, more effectively and develop AoA’s and the Aging Network’s leadership in civic engagement.
The Cooperative is a partnership of n4a, AARP, the AARP Foundation, the National Association of State Units on Aging and Disabilities, the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration and the Corporation of National and Community Service.
AoA will work with these organizations to expand the capacity of the Aging Network to engage volunteers nationwide.
The Cooperative will conduct research on civic engagement; develop communication and outreach tools to reach aging services leaders and volunteers across the country; create training programs and technical assistance resources for volunteers and volunteer coordinators; and identify and promote best practices.
The Cooperative builds on a previously funded project with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to provide technical assistance and other support to local programs that can become national multi-generational and civic engagement models for using older volunteers in meaningful direct services, as well as administrative, technical or developmental activities. Nineteen local grants focused on: 1) older relatives caring for grandchildren; 2) families caring for children with special needs; and 3) caregivers of frail elderly.
Resources and Useful Links
For Professionals
The Administration on Aging is pleased to provide the following off-site resources to connect professionals with important governmental and nongovernmental civic engagement programs.
- Age4Action The Age4Action Network is a national movement to mobilize people 50+ in areas of workforce, civic engagement, lifelong learning and advocacy.
- American Society on Aging (ASA). The ASA is a multidisciplinary array of researchers, practitioners, educators, business people and policymakers concerned with the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual aspects of aging. For further information about ASA’s Civic Engagement Program, go to http://www.asaging.org/education/3.
- Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation is the nation’s largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, the Corporation provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to address critical community needs.
- National Council on Aging (NCOA). NCOA is a national voice for older adults – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged – and the community organizations that serve them. For further information about volunteer opportunities and programs, go to http://www.ncoa.org/content.cfm?sectionID=304.
- National Governor’s Association (NGA). The NGA is the collective voice of the nation's governors. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices. For information about NGA’s Civic Engagement of Seniors Initiative, go to http://www.nga.org/cms/home.html
- Points of Light Institute In 2007, the Points of Light Foundation and HandsOn Network merged to become Points of Light Institute, creating the largest volunteer management and civic engagement organization in the nation.
- ServiceNation is a coalition of state and national organizations committed to expanding service opportunities in their communities.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative
For Consumers
The Administration on Aging is pleased to provide the following off-site resources to connect consumers with important governmental and nongovernmental civic engagement programs.
- Administration on Aging Supported Volunteer Programs:
- AARP. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and over improve the quality of their lives.
- Age4Action The Age4Action Network is a national movement to mobilize people 50+ in areas of workforce, civic engagement, lifelong learning and advocacy.
- Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The Corporation is the nation’s largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, the Corporation provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to address critical community needs.
- Experience Corps. The 2,000 Experience Corps members tutor and mentor in 23 cities across the country, providing literacy coaching, homework help, consistent role models and committed, caring attention. For further information about programs in your city, go to http://www.experiencecorps.org/get_involved/get_involved.cfm.
- Evaluation of Experience Corps: Student Reading Outcomes. Rigorous Study Finds Students with Experience Corps Tutors Make 60% More Progress in Critical Reading Skills than Students without tudors.
- Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) The MOWAA represents local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 U.S. states, as well as the U.S. Territories.
- Points of Light Institute In 2007, the Points of Light Foundation and HandsOn Network merged to become Points of Light Institute, creating the largest volunteer management and civic engagement organization in the nation.
- Serve.gov is a comprehensive clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities across the country and around the world. Serve.gov is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). SHIP is a national program offering one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. To become a volunteer counselor, go to http://www.shiptalk.org/Public/home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx and contact the local program in which you would be interested in volunteering.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative
- VolunteerMatch is a national nonprofit that helps visitors find volunteer opportunities by location, interest area, and/or keyword. For more information, go to http://www.volunteermatch.org/.
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Share a Volunteer Story!
The Administration on Aging is celebrating the contributions of volunteers in a new Web feature. How has volunteering for your community changed and enhanced your life? We want to know! We especially want to recognize and share stories about the vitality of older adults in their many volunteer capacities. Here are examples from communities across the nation of how volunteers are making a difference. Remember: volunteering is fun and good for you!
If you would like to submit a story and photograph of an exceptional volunteer, please email Marla Bush at marla.bush@aoa.hhs.gov.
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| Last Modified: 6/1/2012 4:37:21 PM |
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