California's Aging Opportunity
Recommendations: Seizing the Opportunity
I. Match Interest with Need
Communications campaign and volunteer matching network enhancement to increase awareness, interest and access to service opportunities.
- Engage state leadership to deliver a strong message that will elevate awareness and inspire older adults to engage in community service.
- Create a statewide communications campaign to target older adults who want to serve and organizations that need human resources.
- Enhance the California Volunteer Matching Network for older Californians by: providing strong local access, a searchable database, targeted promotions and choices of volunteer opportunities.
- Work with state and local organizations to increase their understanding of older volunteers and how to best attract and support their volunteer efforts.
II. Weave Senior Service into State Programs
Tap the time and talent of older Californians to expand and enhance public services provided and supported by California state government.
- Survey state agencies to identify state-run and state-supported programs that match with the interests and experience of older Californians. Programs might include after school programs, K-12 education, community-based care giving for older adults, disaster preparedness and response and other human services, education and environmental programs.
- Establish volunteer coordination offices, based on the findings of a survey of state agencies, as needed to effectively utilize volunteers and to ensure that volunteer efforts complement and not displace professional staff.
III. Incent Intensive Service
Create more opportunities for service commitments of 10-20 hours per week and motivate older adult participation with meaningful incentives.
- Establish a statewide grant program to create more intensive, sustained older adult service opportunities of 10-20 hours per week by expanding existing programs and adding new ones where there are gaps.
- Offer different incentives such as small stipends, health insurance, transportation reimbursement, prescription drug benefits, transferable education awards or other benefits for volunteers or their families.
- Work with the federal Corporation for National and Community Service in the reauthorization of federal acts that include Senior Corps, VISTA, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America to encourage participation of older adults.
IV. Prepare the Service Sector
Expand the capacity and infrastructure of nonprofit service organizations to engage the growing 60+ civic resource.
- Establish an office of liaison to community-based organizations within the Governor's Office to expand public services delivered by volunteers in local nonprofit organizations (faith and secular).
- Charge CaliforniaVolunteers to work with others to provide guidance to nonprofits, educational institutions, health care providers, environmental groups, human services, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, AmeriCorps and others to engage older adults in service roles.
- Work with the federal Corporation for National and Community Service to grant flexibilities to California's Senior Corps and AmeriCorps programs.
- Secure additional state and federal funding to expand existing service programs and establish new offerings.
V. Provide Life Stage Transition Options
Establish "life options centers" to help older Californians make the transition to a new stage of life that includes meaningful contributions to their communities.
- Support the development of life options centers where older adults can explore their next stage of life and connect with service opportunities.
- Encourage innovative partnerships to implement these one-stop career centers.
- Incorporate life stage transition planning into state retirement planning services, such as those provided by the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the California State Teachers Retirement Systems.
VI. Reform State Policy
Expand the capacity and infrastructure of nonprofit service organizations to engage the growing 60+ civic resource.Pass state legislation to create incentives and reduce existing barriers for older adult service in California.
- Reduce barriers that hamper volunteering by reducing costs of background checks, streamlining screening and reimbursing older volunteers for out-of-pocket expenses.
- Provide funding to create recognitions and incentives for older adults who complete significant service roles. Incentives might include: vouchers, tax incentives, stipends, public recognition and transferable education award or scholarship.
- Help volunteer organizations manage risk by providing training and low-cost liability insurance. Ensure that California's Good Samaritan laws provide coverage to volunteers.