Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com
Many baby boomers venturing into retirement want to volunteer, but have trouble following through on good intentions because they can't find the right opportunity.
About a third of adults over 55 who don't currently volunteer are most interested in opportunities that would enable them to learn new skills and explore new interests, according to a new study by VolunteerMatch, a San Francisco organization that links volunteers to nonprofits. Although, new online resources are expected to make it easier to hone in on meaningful organizations going forward.
Even with that assistance, many adults hesitate because they question the time commitment, or don't want to get involved in a project outside their "comfort zone" in which they work individually and not as a team, said Lou Reida, director of programs for Hands on Bay Area, which recruits volunteers online to complete an average of 120 group projects a month.
"That's a challenge when you're so busy with your regular life to throw (volunteering) into the mix, to meet new people and be in situations that you're not used to," he said.
Significance of Boomers
Some baby boomers' tendency to waver is little consolation to
nonprofits looking to that generation - the oldest of which turned 61 this year
- to supply much-needed talent as organizations expand. The
number of nonprofit organizations in the U.S. grew 28.8 percent to 1.4 million
between 1996 to 2004, according to VolunteerMatch.
Methods to recruit boomer volunteers are being expanded, too. In late June, a House committee approved a bill that would require states to develop plans to tap older adults for volunteer and paid work, among other provisions.
"More and more organizations understand the strength and talent of volunteers and the significance of the opportunity with the boomer generation..." said Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch.
While volunteers of all ages are in demand, older adults are attractive for several reasons. They tend to appreciate the personal significance of what they're achieving more than other generations. Consider that existing VolunteerMatch volunteers over 55 contribute nearly 100 hours a year more than those in their 30s, donating 226 hours of their time, compared to 132 hours for adults aged 30 to 39. Three quarters of the 55-plus crowd view volunteering as "very important" and "one of the most important" things in their life.
Professionals and woman aged 55 to 64 are the most likely to be interested in volunteering, too, emphasizing opportunities that make use of their personal or work skills.
'Exciting and Scary'
The interesting thing is that new skill development comes
in many forms, challenging boomers in ways their careers never did.
"The nature of going out and working with folks from different backgrounds is a new skill that's exciting and scary at the same time," Reida said. "If you're an executive that works in a big corporation who all of the sudden works with a 16-year-old runaway who's been living on the street... it's a skill to work effectively and help without being condescending and judgmental."
In general, projects that assist youth such as mentoring or making breakfasts for runaways have drawn older volunteers, Reida said.
Two-thirds of older adults said the Internet has made is simpler to find an organization that needed help, and 61 percent said Websites make it easier to find interesting opportunities, VolunteerMatch found.
In that vein, VolunteerMatch has teamed up with the Corporation for National and Community Service to create a volunteer search engine aimed at attracting more baby boomers.
