 Facts & Figures ...• Many baby boomers approaching 60 say they want a brief pause after the long hours of midlife work but intend to make a difference and remain involved, whether through paid or unpaid work that serves their communities. • 79% of baby boomers believe they will still be working at least part-time during their retirement. • More than half (51%) of baby boomers say they expect to devote more time to community service or volunteering after retirement.
Source: AARP (2004), Baby Boomers Envision Their Retirement II: Key Findings. Washington, DC: Prepared for AARP by RoperASW, May 2004.
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The Next Chapter™ Initiative: Linking Boomers with Their Communities
Meaningful Connections in the Second Half of Life
As more than 76 million baby boomers turn 60 and begin to transition to the next phase of their lives, their futures look remarkably different from the retirement years of their parents and grandparents. Today, boomers are looking at a 20- to 30-year life stage beyond midlife and before true old age. The question is: What are they going to do with that time?
A 2004 study by AARP showed that 79% of baby boomers believe they will still be working at least part-time during their retirement, with 30% planning to work for enjoyment and 25% for the needed income. Additionally, more than half (51%) of baby boomers say they expect to devote more time to community service or volunteering after retirement. Of those who currently volunteer (62%), a majority expect to devote more time to community service and volunteering once they retire.
If communities capitalize on this boomer “experience dividend” and provide resources and links to meaningful engagement opportunities, it will add up to a tremendous boon for both the communities and the nonprofit organizations that serve their residents.
The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has funded four Next Chapter projects in the East Valley that are developing programs and locations – either physical or virtual – where baby boomers who are planning retirement or who have retired can connect to learning opportunities, link to paid and volunteer opportunities, engage in civic activities and plan for the “next chapter” of their lives. In addition to helping fund the individual projects, the Trust is supporting technical assistance meetings coordinated by Civic Ventures that foster collaboration and innovation among all four projects.
Tempe ConnectionsTempe Connections provides a comprehensive one-stop resource to connect boomers and other young seniors with the information, services and programs they need to remain informed, engaged and happy members of the community. Located within the Tempe Public Library, Tempe Connections includes a café with an attached programming space where older adults can meet friends, engage in lively discussions, view art displays, listen to music on the outdoor patio, attend a lecture about a topic of interest and seek out volunteering opportunities. The Tempe Connections Cafe is open to the public, with all proceeds supporting the Tempe Connections program. A major element of Tempe Connections' civic engagement effort is Experience Corps, a program that places older adults in afterschool programs as tutors and mentors to assist struggling readers. The program will match 36 older adults with 250 students in high-poverty schools each year. CONTACT:Teri Metros, Tempe Public Library Director, 480.350.5551
Judy Tapscott, Tempe Social Services Director, 480.350.5432 |
Mesa Life Options Mesa Community College, the City of Mesa and Mesa Senior Services, Inc. have partnered with several other community organizations to assist boomers nearing retirement find “direction and connections” in the “next chapter” of their lives. Mesa Life Options (MLO) provides connections to people, organizations, programs and services that will enhance the quality of boomers’ lives and the lives of those they touch. Through peer mentoring and life-planning programs, MLO participants will find new ways to share their resources, expertise and wisdom in the community. Other programs include Boomer Brown Bags, Boomer Talks and Boomer Cafes, drop-in conversations on a variety of topics of interest to boomers in transition. MLO is currently planning to develop a space within the Downtown Mesa Library specifically for boomers. CONTACT:Barbara Thelander, Director, MCC Continuing/Community Education, 480.461.6256 |
Boomerz . . . Change Yourself, Change the WorldScottsdale Boomerz is a community collaborative committed to creating and cultivating opportunities that allow baby boomers to maximize their contribution to society. Housed at Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale Boomerz encourages businesses to offer flexible work alternatives, nonprofit organizations to design meaningful pro-bono opportunities and communities to fully capitalize on boomers' talents, energy, wisdom, and experience. Scottsdale Boomerz has developed a Boomerz center at Scottsdale Community College that provides a welcoming place where baby boomers and the boomer-minded can discover a variety of resources to volunteer, pursue civic engagement, re-career and find employment, as well as to engage in lifelong learning, embark on healthy lifestyles and enjoy social connections in a community for all ages. CONTACT:Cindy Cooke, Director, Scottsdale Boomerz, 480.423.6691 |
BoomerangChandler’s Next Chapter Community has developed Boomerang as a way for baby boomers and “beyonders” to receive information, resources, programs and services. With www.myboomerang.org as a virtual entry point and the Chandler Public Library System, Sun Lakes Education Center and Chandler-Gilbert Community College as physical points of entry, Boomerang has taken a community approach to answering the question, “What’s next?” The project offers information about life planning, re-careering, lifelong learning, social connections and civic engagement. From special events and traditional workshops to intimate book discussions and conversational cafes, all activities have the same goal … living, playing and staying well. CONTACT:Brenda Brown, Chandler Public Library, 480.782.2817 |
ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER™ INITIATIVE:The Next Chapter™ initiative provides expertise and assistance to community groups across the country working to help people in the second half of life set a course, connect with peers, and find pathways to significant service. The Next Chapter is a program of Civic Ventures, a national nonprofit organization working to help society achieve the greatest return on experience. The Next Chapter is a new way of thinking and acting about aging in America. Its emphasis is on guiding adults toward a productive and satisfying transition to the second half of life. While most Next Chapter projects provide a wide array of services to help people with this transition, their focus is on helping people apply their lifetime of experience to help solve serious community problems. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NEXT CHAPTER:aznextchapter.org
Civic Ventures
Next Chapter Blueprint
Life Options Blueprint |