Retirees Paid and Challenged to Do Their Best for the Public Good:
With the aging of baby boomers, we face a great challenge. How do we retain the skills and experience of these valuable workers as they move out of the traditional work force? At the same time, many baby boomers, who want to continue to work once they’ve “retired” are asking, “What kind of work will I do? Where can I find work that satisfies me, produces income, and enables me to improve the quality of life in my community?” ReServe, an award-winning nonprofit organization in New York City, has an answer.
ReServe’s Beginnings:
Founded in 2005, ReServe recruits skilled retirees (ReServists) and carefully places them with public service jobs that pay a stipend. The inspiration for this organization came from Jack Rosenthal, president of the New York Times Company Foundation, and Herb Sturz, a senior advisor to the Open Society Institute and founder of the After-School Corporation.Rosenthal and Sturz saw friends and colleagues retiring, and “were struck by the lack of any productive engagement for retirees other than volunteerism.” Wanting to offer skilled adults an opportunity to engage in public service, they founded ReServe.
How ReServe Works:
ReServe offers a unique model for civic engagement organizations. It identifies experienced adults and serves them as clients as it works with nonprofits and public agencies to identify appropriate service opportunities. Once clients are placed, ReServe maintains its relationship with the host organization and ReServist to ensure the relationship remains effective and mutually satisfying.The Process:
- ReServe attracts qualified people from professional associations, unions, colleges, graduate schools, large corporations, and senior centers.
- ReServe solicits applications and screens applicants.
- ReServe works with Partner Organizations to develop job descriptions.
- ReServe orients part-time recruits to issues of working with full-time staff and understanding an organization’s culture.
- ReServe assigns a site coordinator who trouble shoots and assists the Partner Organization.
- ReServe evaluates relationships to ensure a positive outcome for all participants.
The Stipend:
The stipend—$10 an hour—is central to ReServe’s success. “This stipend has turned out to be very important,” Claire Altman, executive director of ReServe, says. “As one of our people said, ‘I can’t tell you why, but it’s critically important that I be paid this $10 sum.’”Altman explains, “When money changes hands...there’s a sense of responsibility....The $10 stipend isn’t based on any skill level, so we have everybody from secretaries to neurosurgeons receiving the same amount.
ReServe has created a payroll service that handles hourly payrolls and fringe benefits.
What ReServists Do :
The ReServe model is designed to meet several societal needs:- Intergenerational needs of children and teenagers
- Elder-to-elder services
- Community justice initiatives
- Professional services for nonprofits and public agencies
ReServists work in a variety of roles, from human resources consultant to writer to group facilitator.
ReServe Partner Organizations range from the New York City Department for the Aging to the Medicare Rights Center to the City University of New York.
Some ReServe Statistics:
As of May 2008, ReServe reported it had screened and placed more than 400 qualified retirees at more than 100 nonprofit and public agencies in New York City since its launching in 2005. These numbers are growing as ReServe reaches out to more organizations and as the word about their work spreads.More than two-thirds of ReServe participants are college graduates; 40% have advanced degrees. One-third are between 55 and 65; nearly half are between 66 and 75; and one in five is 75 or older.
Benefits for ReServists:
Most ReServists surveyed are motivated by the desire to use their professional skills and gain personal fulfillment. Many want to interact with others, learn new skills and supplement their income. They also say they “enjoy associating with like-minded individuals who are giving back to the community.”Altman adds, “Being a ReServist gives structure to their lives. They have a role, a place to go, people expecting them to produce something. That’s very important.”
Benefits for Organizations:
When Altman and her staff reach out to nonprofits, they emphasize the benefits of hiring ReServists to supplement their work force. Altman delineates those benefits:- The opportunity for the organization to accomplish things that may not otherwise get done.
- Intergenerational experience.
- Mentoring for younger employees. ReServists are not looking to take anyone’s job.
- Better customer service skills than some of the younger people. They remember names, follow up.
- Organizations save money.
Challenges and Advice:
With the victories and progress it has enjoyed, ReServe has faced challenges. One of the greatest has been convincing nonprofits of the advantages of hiring skilled, older workers, Altman says. She’s encountered ageism and resistance from “nonprofits not used to using part-time people and not very open.” She tries to overcome resistance by meeting with concerned people, helping them design appropriate jobs and sending them “really good people.”Another interesting challenge Altman cites is the need for older workers to develop better computer skills. Fortunately, most people are willing to learn and are referred to programs that can help them build those skills.
Asked about her advice about placing retirees in jobs, Altman says, “Establish strong relationships with the local, nonprofit community and help break down the ageism. Tell them older people can see the big picture and work effectively. You can get people at below market cost who can contribute a lot to the organization without having to add full-time staff. AARP has done a great job with major retailers like Home Depot and Borders, but there hasn’t been a strong national advocate in this sector.”
As to the future, Altman says, “We want to further refine and polish our model in New York City. We’re a “high-touch model” with an individualized placement process, which, at the moment, we feel is necessary. We have to figure out how to create some income and make this more sustainable. Then our goal is to see if there’s interest in replicating this model in other parts of the country.”
Without doubt, ReServe seems worthy of replication and is already being acknowledged for its value. In 2007, in recognition of its groundbreaking work, ReServe was among 10 organizations named by Civic Ventures as BreakThrough Award winners for “inspiring practices in hiring and retaining people over 50 to meet important social needs.”
Visit ReServe online to learn more about the people, organizations and work being done in this groundbreaking adventure. Be sure to look at the annual report for the full story of ReServe with wonderful photos and descriptions of Reservists’ work. You can also find contact information on the site.
