Older adults are deeply concerned about leaving the world a better place for future generations. A recent MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures survey indicates top reasons for older adult volunteering include:
- helping others or making a difference
- contributing to causes they care about deeply
- using skills in a productive way
As noted psychologist Erik Erikson observed, the capacity to pass on to future generations what one has learned from life (generativity) is a hallmark of success.
Support for Children’s Issues
Contrary to popular perceptions, many older adults support policies that benefit children and youth. Some examples of 50+ adults and organizations serving older adults acting as champions for children’s issues include:
Miami, Florida
School districts in Miami, Florida actively recruited older adults to volunteer at schools. Years later, thousands of these volunteers led a campaign to pass a billion-dollar education bond issue. Over 80% of the older adult population supported it (Source: Marc Friedman, Prime Time.) Given that the majority of the grandchildren of these adults lived elsewhere, their support is striking. Later, older adult voters throughout Florida approved a ballot initiative to make high-quality pre-k available to four-year-olds.
Mesa, Arizona
East Valley Retirees Invest In Schools. While newspapers don’t often cover stories like these, residents of Leisure World and Sun Lakes retirement communities in Mesa, Arizona have voted repeatedly for higher property taxes and bond issues to support children’s education in their community. Sun Lakes residents also volunteer for Project Strive, a mentoring program matching older adult volunteers with high school students at risk for not graduating.
AARP and Alliance for Retired Americans
In 2009, national aging advocates AARP and the Alliance for Retired Americans held events and campaigns to raise awareness that investments in quality health care coverage for children yield returns in worker productivity and lower costs for medical interventions later in life. These and other efforts led to the passage of significant federal legislation providing health care coverage for millions more children.
Intergenerational Advocacy Appeals to Older Adults
When thinking about the best ways to help young children, advocacy might not immediately jump to most people’s minds. But many older adults recognize that important decisions affecting children and the future of their communities are made by local, state, and federal policymakers.
Helping policymakers make more informed and better decisions for children appeals to 50+ adults for many reasons. It can provide
- a sense of purpose
- stronger connections to their communities
- personal development and continued learning
- chances to use professional skills and experiences to help others
As Captain4Kids Donna Bailey notes, “I may never have a street or building named after me; but trying to improve the education of children in this state, this can be lasting legacy for me.”
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