Effort looks to boost volunteerism

The R.I. Division of Elderly Affairs, the Senior Agenda Coalition and Serve Rhode Island have launched a research and organizing effort to develop new strategies to increase volunteerism among the state’s older residents.
The Senior Volunteerism Planning Project runs September through November, engaging practitioners, senior volunteers, community leaders and policy makers to conduct surveys and create a strategy and action plan for expanding volunteer service opportunities for the state’s older population.
While there are an estimated 62,000 volunteers ages 55 and over already engaged in service in Rhode Island, the state is about 21,000 volunteers short of where it should be, when compared to the rest of New England. The lost dollar value of that missing contribution to the state’s economy is estimated to be $29 million annually.
“Rhode Island cannot afford to be missing this magnitude of volunteer service,” said Bernie Beaudreau, executive director of Serve Rhode Island. “We need the talent and wisdom of our elders to help solve some of our state’s educational, social and economic challenges.”
Rhode Island’s 65-and-older population is growing by an estimated 3 percent (or 2,500 people) each year through 2018.
According to Division of Elderly Affairs Director Charles Fogarty, “Increasing opportunities for older adults to participate in the paid and volunteer workforce is vitally important for the economic productivity and social well-being of our state. Sharing time and talent improves the lives of others, and provides physical and mental health benefits to the volunteer.”
Volunteer rates among Rhode Island’s older population trails neighboring states and the country as a whole. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service’s annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report, Rhode Island ranks 48th among states for its older adult volunteer rate, with 18.5 percent among the age group 65 and older, compared with 24.2 nationally.
“We need to do a lot more to create opportunities that involve senior volunteers,” added Bill Flynn, executive director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island.

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