Boomers and Babies: Engaging Boomer-age Volunteers in Oregon’s System of Early Care and Education

1. Boomers and Babies: Engaging Boomer-age Volunteers in Oregon’s System of Early Care and Education Prepared for the Oregon Community Foundation by Oregon State University College of Health and Human Sciences July 2008

2. 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

3. Boomer Potential in 5 areas Parenting: 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

4. Research Questions • What would make work in these areas of interest attractive or unattractive? • What barriers exist to participation? How might these barriers be addressed? • What structures and incentives would make this work most attractive and meaningful? OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

5. Focus Group Method A 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

6. Location of 9 Focus Groups OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

7. 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

8. Motivations Life histories (families; kids/school) Sense of obligation and purpose “We wanted to change the world” “Be part of the solution” Boomer Volunteer Experiences OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

9. Boomer Volunteer Experiences Limitations/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

10. 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” Boomers want…“Meaning, membership and mastery” OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

11. Incentives/structures • Flexibility in time • Opportunities for social interaction with staff and volunteers/ feel part of a team • 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

12. Incentives/structures Stipends 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

13. 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 Boomers see some unique barriers in EC work OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

14. 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

15. “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

16. 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

17. 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

18. ‘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.” EC program expectations OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

19. 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? Challenges of Boomers in EC OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

20. Challenges of Boomers in EC Generational 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

21. 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.” Other EC concerns OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

22. Reframe EC Volunteering Broaden limited views of volunteers roles Address concerns of EC programs Better engage volunteer placement programs Implications & Recommendations OSU College of Health and Human Sciences

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

24. Build EC Organizational Capacity Review 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

25. 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” OSU College of Health and Human Sciences