Restructuring current volunteer opportunities to appeal to baby boomer volunteers

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Abstract

Baby boomers represent a vast pool of potential volunteers. An eclectic group, one thing they share is that their approach to volunteering is considerably different from that of the previous generation, in part because they have less leisure time than other adults, and claim to feel stressed more often. This effective practice highlights strategies for transforming traditional volunteer opportunities into ones that are short-term and flexible, appealing to the needs of the baby boomer generation. Excerpted, with permission, from the article, Creating Boomer-friendly Volunteer Opportunities: Restructuring Existing Opportunities by D. Scott Martin.

Issue

The baby boomer generation seeks volunteer opportunities in which they can make a meaningful contribution without a substantial time commitment. Additionally, they are not satisfied with meeting the needs defined by an organization, but are looking for opportunities that utilize their talents and desire to make a difference.

Action

According to D. Scott Martin, there are several strategies volunteer managers can use to modify traditional volunteer opportunities:

Substitution. If it just has to be done every day, week or month, try creating the position of substitute: volunteers who are willing to be on-call and fill-in temporarily for volunteers in traditional jobs as their schedules permit.

Job Sharing. Why not assign two volunteers to the same opportunity? They may be given the same responsibilities, or different ones depending on their individual skills. You might identify the two volunteers to job share or you could ask the new volunteer to recruit a job-sharing friend. The volunteers follow a prearranged schedule or work it out among themselves week by week.

Rotation. With this option four volunteers might take turns filling a volunteer assignment, each working for a period of just three months out of the year. Such an arrangement might work well for snowbirds or seasonal workers.

Segmentation. Can a labor intensive position be broken down into more manageable short-term opportunities? For example, a special event coordinator might be replaced by several short-term volunteers each working on one piece of the overall work plan.

Team Volunteering. Assign multiple volunteers to the same client, each having a specialized function. For example, instead of just one volunteer being assigned to a homebound senior, a care team is created. Perhaps one volunteer likes giving emotional support, another handling finances and a third doing housecleaning. No one volunteer has to do it all — making the load lighter for everyone.

Telecommuting. In this scenario, a volunteer provides the service from home or some other off-site location using technology. A good example of the application of this strategy is in the area of mentoring. School-based mentoring can be a fairly inflexible assignment. However, volunteers who cannot go into the school on a regular basis can still participate through e-mentoring, the exchange of e-mails over the Internet. Whether the volunteer is at work, overseas on vacation or at home, all they need to do is to get on their laptop and send off an e-mail to their mentee. E-mentoring is not a replacement for face-to-face mentoring, but it can be a way to involve a greater range of volunteers in the experience.

Context

More and more companies are restructuring jobs to retain and attract retirement age baby boomers. The non-profit sector needs to follow suit by creating boomer-friendly volunteer opportunities.

In order to satisfy the requirements of more baby boomer volunteers, make it your goal to create a continuum of volunteer opportunities. These opportunities should offer potential volunteers a range of options across the following four dimensions: skill level, duration, scheduling and opportunity for self-initiation.

Citation

Martin, D. Scott. Creating Boomer-friendly Volunteer Opportunities: Part 1: Restructuring Existing Opportunities. January 18, 2006, Charity Channel website.

This article is reprinted with permission from CharityChannel.com and the author of this article. The author holds the copyright to the article. To receive the entire issue by email each week, visit http://charitychannel.com/enewsletters and use the subscription form. To seek permission for reprints, visit http://charitychannel.com/enewsletters/reprints. For more information, contact CharityChannel at http://charitychannel.com/rapid-reply.

Outcome

Recruiting volunteers from the sizable group of baby boomers will make volunteer programs stronger and more vibrant. Encouraging baby boomer volunteerism with volunteer ideology that makes sense to the boomers unique lifestyle creates a win-win situation.