104/21/23
Boomers and Babies: Boomers and Babies: Engaging Boomer-age Volunteers Engaging Boomer-age Volunteers
in Oregon’s System of in Oregon’s System of Early Care and EducationEarly Care and Education
Prepared for The Oregon Community Prepared for The Oregon Community FoundationFoundation
by Oregon State University by Oregon State University College of Health and Human SciencesCollege of Health and Human Sciences
July 2008July 2008
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 204/21/23
5 OSU campus faculty
Denise Rennekamp Kate Mactavish Clara Pratt Sally Bowman Bobbie Weber
4 OSU county Extension faculty
Sharon Johnson – Jackson & Josephine Counties
Fern Wilcox- Wasco County
Jeanne Brandt – Washington County
Nina Roll – Lincoln County
4 OSU doctoral students Molly Trauten Doris Cancel-Tirado Brandi Hall Rica Amity
ESPP II Parenting Ed. Programs
Kim Deck, Douglas Co. Kathy Barber, Coos Co.
Other support from OSU & Partners
Michaella Sektnan - IRB Rocci Taylor – Budget Diane Redd –OCF Dawn Norris- Child Care
Division
93 Participants
Team Effort
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 304/21/23
Boomer Potential in 5 areasParenting: Interventions to help parents develop skills
Early literacy: Improve the literacy of young children
EC workforce: Fill gaps in the workforce Mentor and improve the workforce
Advocacy: Build the capacity of advocacy in 3 areas High quality early care and education Access to health care in early childhood Other critical family supports
Early childhood program infrastructure: Help EC organizations effectively manage business
planning, staffing, or tax completion
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 404/21/23
Research Questions
1. What would make work in these areas of interest attractive or unattractive?
2. What barriers exist to participation?How might these barriers be addressed?
3. What structures and incentives would make this work most attractive and meaningful?
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 504/21/23
Focus Group MethodA discussion to collect knowledgeable
participants’ perceptions in a “non-threatening environment.”
9 focus groups: • 4 Boomer volunteers• 5 EC Program Staff• Total of 54 participants
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 604/21/23
Location of 9 Focus Groups
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 704/21/23
Key informant interviews Gather qualitative information from a “key informant” who can provide detailed information based on his or her unique knowledge of a particular issue.
39 interviews: •19 Boomer volunteers•9 EC program directors•11 volunteer placement program directors RSVP, Experience Corps, Foster Grandparents, community volunteer centers
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 804/21/23
Boomer Volunteer Experiences
Motivations
Life histories (families; kids/school)
Sense of obligation and purpose
“We wanted to change the world”
“Be part of the solution”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 904/21/23
Boomer Volunteer ExperiencesLimitations/Barriers
Personal responsibilities, energy “When my Dad needs me, I have to go.”
Getting in – difficult to find a pathway to volunteering especially for
“No one ever called me back!” “ …we have enough volunteers – we’re
full.”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1004/21/23
Boomers want…“Meaning, membership and mastery”
Meaning“Do meaningful work” “Make a real difference”“Hire a volunteer to do real job – like a business hires a worker”
Membership “Be an integral part of endeavor…”
Mastery “I want to be good at what I do…” “Clear expectations”“Training and supervision”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1104/21/23
Incentives/structures1. Flexibility in time
2. Opportunities for social interaction with staff and volunteers/ feel part of a team
3. Organizational support: Clarity in job, expectations, training,
positive guidance “Harriett, let’s try it this way…”
Want agency to assign meaningful work, responsibility
Procedures to keep the volunteer safe/address liability issues
Mileage reimbursement/expenses
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1204/21/23
Incentives/structuresStipends and job sharing not
highly ranked – meaning flexibility, organization, mileage were most important
“Staff can’t have so much on their plates that they don’t have time for the volunteers.”
“…someone to help me do a good job.”
“Be organized, be READY…”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1304/21/23
Boomers see some unique barriers in EC
work High levels of need in
kids and families“Even little kids come
with baggage.”“Too draining… not
fun, not rewarding… endless.”
“These young families aren’t like ours…”
Other EC barriers Enough energy,
patience? Child illnesses Language,
cultural issues Technology gap Liability concerns
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1404/21/23
Boomer Advice “BE organized!!” Create flexible roles, variable levels of
commitment Get into community and clarify your
needs Match volunteer skills with your needs Maintain communication with
volunteers; include them in your team Show your appreciation “Say thanks!”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1504/21/23
“Decide what the volunteer can do to really assist the program, take the time to explain why this work is important and why it must be done on time and within certain parameters, then volunteers will feel like their work matters.”
“Even if it is only pouring coffee…”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1604/21/23
EC Views of Boomer Volunteers
Too little energy or personal flexibility for work in child care settings
Boomers only want short episodic jobs
“They want to come in, utilize their skills, stand back, say ‘Wow! That’s
really cool!’ and then go to Mexico for two weeks.”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1704/21/23
EC volunteer recruitment and retention strategies
“We wait for them to come to us.”“We use our personal and organizational
networks.”“Offer one time task that can be done in
teams of people they know, make it a success and recognize their effort…they will come back…”
“RSVP doesn’t know we exist.”
RSVP says “we don’t have to recruit placement sites and Boomers don’t ask for EC jobs”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1804/21/23
EC program expectations ‘Buy-in’ to philosophy Dependability
especially in work with vulnerable kids, families
“Trainability” and responsiveness to direction from a younger supervisor
Professional behavior; confidentiality
Pass background check; no drugs, alcohol.
“Compassion, empathy, open-minded, tolerance, patience.”
“People who have a heart for children and families.”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 1904/21/23
Challenges of Boomers in EC Work with young children
is challenging.
“Once kids are past being cute and cuddly, they aren’t as appealing”
“Kids say things (‘My uncle was arrested.’) that shock volunteers”
Will volunteers stay when it gets tough?
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2004/21/23
Challenges of Boomers in ECGenerational differences/conflicts with today’s
families
“Are they able to work with different values?”
Training and Supervision
“(They have) a lifetime of (inappropriate) responses… like - you are a bad boy!”
“(Will they) learn and understand professional practices and respect boundaries”
Confidentiality
“How much does volunteer need to know to work with a child vs. families right to privacy?”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2104/21/23
Other EC concerns Preparing staff & children for volunteers“Staff have to see how volunteers are a
help, not just another responsibility.”
Letting volunteers go Liability Costs of volunteers
“Volunteer management is a whole other job…”
“Anything that costs $ is out of the question.”
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2204/21/23
Implications & Recommendations
Reframe EC Volunteering Broaden limited views of volunteers
roles
Address concerns of EC programs
Better engage volunteer placement programs
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2304/21/23
Implications & Recommendations
Respect Boomers’ diverse interests, needs
Offer time flexibility– balance with job structure and length of commitment
Offer a menu of viable jobs that meet diverse EC program needs- short to longer term
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2404/21/23
Build EC Organizational CapacityReview program models ReServe and Experience Corps
Work with partner programs to define volunteer positions and required skills
Recruit, screen & match volunteer to the job Provide skill-focused training and on-site supervision Facilitate communication Manage paperwork and bureaucracy Assess success of placement
Capacity is simply lacking in EC, especially in smaller, more rural
programs
OSU College of Health and Human Sciences 2504/21/23
Final Big messages Tap unrealized potential by reframing current
views of all parties
EC and Boomers some similar perceptions and concerns
Meet needs of both Boomer and EC
Build EC organizational capacity
Remember Boomers want:
“Meaning, membership, mastery”
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