Aging and the Environment: Promoting Environmental Civic Engagement and Volunteering among Older Adults

1. Aging and the Environment: Promoting Environmental Civic Engagement and Volunteering among Older Adults Linda P. Wagenet, Ph.D. Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging

2. Program Priorities • Respond to the call for new meaningful roles for older persons • Satisfy the need for a corps of trained, effective volunteers to tackle problems of environmental protection and sustainability

3. Summary of Proposed Program • Community-based project to increase social engagement among older persons • Program development and evaluation research project • Collaboration of • Cornell University • Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations • NYS County Offices for the Aging • Local environmental agencies

4. Elements of Proposed Program • Curriculum development • Specially-designed training in environmental issues and leadership • Internships for program participants in environmental organizations • Multifaceted, comprehensive research evaluation

5. Program benefits For participants • Improved physical and psychological well-being • Increased social integration • Growth in environmental knowledge and community leadership skills For communities • Increased number of environmental volunteers • Increased expertise of volunteers

6. Work to date • Funding from Hatch and Smith-Lever for three year program development (salary) • Pilot project in Tompkins County Spring 2008 • Applications to several foundations • Collaboration with multi-service elder center in Florida • Survey of environmental organizations and older volunteers

7. Survey • Internet-based survey with 48 environmental organizations in NYS • Personal interviews with older volunteers • Responses to three research questions: • How are older volunteers utilized by environmental organizations? • How elder-friendly are environmental organizations? • What motivates older adults to volunteer in environmental organizations?

8. How are volunteers utilized?

9. How elder-friendly are environmental organizations? • 56% of organizations surveyed recruit older volunteers. • 40% of organizations surveyed adapt activities specifically for older volunteers. • 28% of organizations provide different functions for older volunteers.

10. What motivates older adults to volunteer in environmental organizations Four typologies • The Scientist: opportunity to put professional expertise to good use post-retirement • The Sportsman: life-long interests in hunting, fishing and related outdoor activities (all men) • The Generative Environmentalist: deep concern – even anguish – about deterioration of the natural environment, particularly with an eye toward the future • The Socializer: highlights the social relationships and recognition received through volunteer activity

11. Survey Conclusions • Older environmental volunteers have money, time, a college degree, and are generally satisfied with their lives. • There is a sense of generativity among older environmental volunteers.

12. RESPRetiree Environmental Stewards Program • Adapt tested model from Rutgers Cooperative Extension (applied to older adults) • Training in environmental issues • Placement into an internship or completion of a class project

13. RESPRetiree Environmental Stewards Program • Training in environmental stewardship Proposed modules • Using Retirement Years Productively • Retiree & Environment • Local Environmental Management & Decision-Making • Local Land Preservation Issues • Sustainability & Energy Issues • Lakes & Watersheds • Conflict Resolution Techniques • Communication & Leadership • Intergenerational Programs & Environment

14. RESPRetiree Environmental Stewards Program • Placement of each trainee into an internship or class project Potential locations • Watershed organizations • State parks • Municipal environmental agencies

15. Contact information Linda P. Wagenet CITRA EMAIL: lpw2@cornell.edu PHONE: 607.254.7460 FAX: 607.254.2903