Understanding and Engaging Baby Boomers in Community Programs
Baby Boomers, individuals born between 1946 and 1965, present a unique demographic challenge and opportunity for community centers. This project received a grant to create resources and tools aimed at connecting Boomers to Older Adult Centres. The research findings, workshop presentations, and online resources aim to address the challenges and successes in engaging this generation, with insights gathered from a member survey.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
ENGAGING BABY BOOMERS Description: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdAd6chJJ7zQLuBUloIFHMoeSpfdl9VMO8COX0i7peoWOdcaPl ONLINE SURVEY ANALYSIS AND WORKSHOP PREVIEW OACAO CONFERENCE 2014 PRESENTED BY: SUE HESJEDAHL AND LISE DUBE
OUTLINE Engaging Baby Boomers Grant Engaging Baby Boomers Online Survey How Boomers Are Different Why Centres are experiencing Challenges in attracting boomers Top Programs for Boomers Successful Marketing Initiatives Changes That are Working to Engage Baby Boomers Baby Boomers and Volunteering Regional Workshops Interactive Website 2
ENGAGING BABY BOOMERS GRANT March 2014 received a $25,000 grant from New Horizons for Seniors Program for project focused on engaging baby boomers. Goal is to create tools and resources to connect boomers to our OACs and encourage their engagement and attendance Project arose from the input of OACAO members who suggested recruiting younger seniors will be the single greatest challenge to face Older Adult Centres over the next two years (OACAO Member Profile 2013). Considered 3rd highest issue faced by our Centres with 6.9 out of 10 Centres indicating this need. 3
WHO ARE BABY BOOMERS? Boomers (also known as baby boomers) is a term used to describe people born during a period of increased birthrates in Canada lasting from 1946 to about 1965 (Historica Canada), making boomers 49-68 years of age. 4
GRANT DELIVERABLES Conduct an OACAO member survey to gather sector information about the challenges and successes of programming to the Baby Boomer sector Present survey findings at OACAO Conference Conduct research and collect best practices Use survey findings and research material to prepare and present workshop presentations in 7 regions across the province Post resources on OACAO interactive online website available for membership across the province 5
ENGAGING BABY BOOMER ONLINE SURVEY Survey posted July 29 and closed August 14 54 responses out of 132 invitations, 2 opted out 41.5% response rate Majority of Centres responding were stand-alones 52.2% of Centres said between 10-20% of their members were boomers However, % of boomers at Centres ranged from 2-75% 6
ENGAGING BABY BOOMER ONLINE SURVEY Locality of Locality of Centre Centre 28.6% Rural Suburban 59.2% Urban 12.2% 7
HOW ARE BOOMERS DIFFERENT? OACAO members noted many areas where boomers are different from their current membership Want to stay fit Interested in life-long learning Larger disposable income BUSY BUSY Still working Have a broader range of interests 8
HOW ARE BOOMERS DIFFERENT? Tech Savvy an older adult member will ask for information about our next trip in a hard copy while a boomer will say can you text me that info please. 9
HOW ARE BOOMERS DIFFERENT? More demanding, opinionated, higher expectations Do not see themselves as old Don t Don t like commitment like commitment 10
HOW ARE BOOMERS DIFFERENT? BBs are more self- involved and want programs tailored to their needs. They are worried about being associated with much older people even if the older adults are in better physical condition better physical condition. They are busy with family obligations. They have different goals for themselves. 11
REGIONAL WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW How Boomers truly are different How these differences may influence their participation at OACs Demographic information about Boomers 12
WHY CENTRES ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING BOOMERS Centre PERSPECTIVE Centre PERSPECTIVE Centres not understanding/meeting the needs of boomers Centres are stereotyped or stigmatized Facilities are aging; too small Don t have the right equipment, want a gym setting Facing competition from the community Centre hours not fitting with boomer needs Integration with the older generation is hard 13
WHY CENTRES ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING BOOMERS BOOMER PERSPECTIVE BOOMER PERSPECTIVE Boomers have the wrong image of our Centres Boomers feel too young to be going to a Centre Boomers are too busy to join Boomers are not typically joiners Boomers want no commitment 14
Boomers Boomers are are not not ready to ready to accept accept their age! their age! 15
WHY ARE CENTRES EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING BOOMERS? However However, some Centres are not attracting boomers! not having a problem Some Centres, when asked, answered, not applicable. not applicable. Our Centre does not have this experience. Why are some Centres more successful in engaging boomers? 16
TOP PROGRAMS FOR BOOMERS BY CATEGORY Cards and Games Trips and Outings Life-long Learning Dance Arts and Crafts Special Events Technology Fitness 0 20 40 60 80 100 17
TOP PROGRAMS FOR BOOMERS 167 responses 167 responses 50% of responses related to a fitness activity Top responses Yoga (17) and Zumba (13) Tablet training showing success (9) Special events also popular with boomers 18
TOP PROGRAMS FOR BOOMERS I have a fairly good number of boomers at my Centre - If anything the declining segment is the older seniors for us and the activities that they take part in (bridge and other card games particularly) are declining in numbers and falling off our calendar. 19
TOP 3 SERVICES FOR BOOMERS Only 68 responses Foot care highest rated individual response (10) Top 3 categories: Health Services (e.g., foot care, physio) (20) Alternative and Complementary Health Practice (e.g. , massage, reiki) (10) Health Information (8). 20
REGIONAL WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES WHAT YOU WANT TO WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW KNOW Expand on Programs, Services and Special Events that are appealing to boomers Explore why certain programs and services are more appealing Suggest program adjustments which could make programs attractive to all age groups Hear input from experts in the field of recreation and leisure 21
SUCCESSFUL MARKETING INITIATIVES MOST POPULAR RESPONSES MOST POPULAR RESPONSES Change Centre name Maximize use of social media We increased our focus on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc ... great responses and lots and lots of new members. 22
SUCCESSFUL MARKETING INITIATIVES In the past year our Centre has become much more heavily engaged with social media and creating an online web presence. We can see that this is having a positive impact, as people are reporting that they found out about some of our events though Facebook. We are also able to share updates with our funders via Twitter. Our website is attracting over 4000 views per month which helps us sell space to advertisers These are cost effective ways to reach out to a younger, more digitally literate baby boomer population to let them know the breadth of what we do and build brand awareness for the future. 23
SUCCESSFUL MARKETING INITIATIVES ADDITIONAL RESPONSES ADDITIONAL RESPONSES Promote new and popular programs Revamp promotional material to a more modern image Expand outreach Increase methods of reaching people (print, online, etc.) Keep Centre looking up to date 24
SUCCESSFUL MARKETING INITIATIVES ADDITIONAL RESPONSES ADDITIONAL RESPONSES Remember word of mouth still effective marketing tool Remember word of mouth still effective marketing tool 25
REGIONAL WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES WHAT WHAT YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO KNOW KNOW How to use social media to engage boomers Marketing to boomers, what seems to work? Is age neutrality important? Sharing marketing success stories 26
CHANGES THAT ARE WORKING TO ENGAGE BABY BOOMERS MOST POPULAR RESPONSES MOST POPULAR RESPONSES Offering classes that appeal to boomers Offering weekend and evening programming Increased flexibility, more drop-in programs People seem to want the flexibility to go to a variety of classes instead of committing to a certain class for the whole session. Instead of signing up for a 12 week fitness class, they want to go to fitness one day, yoga the next, Pilates the next etc. 27
CHANGES THAT ARE WORKING TO ENGAGE BABY BOOMERS ADDITIONAL RESPONSES ADDITIONAL RESPONSES New partnerships Off-site programming Increased social opportunities to visit Centre We're aiming to increase the "social" opportunities for someone to just come into the facility. We encourage potential members to just stop by and enjoy a coffee and "see" what we're all about. 28
REGIONAL WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW Explore Centre models; are certain models more appealing to baby boomers? What is on the horizon for OACs? 29
BABY BOOMERS AND VOLUNTEERING Of Centres responding on average baby boomers formed 19% of the volunteer pool Range 0-80% 10% (9 Centres) and 15% (8 Centres) most commonly cited responses 30
WHICH VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE BOOMERS FILLING? Executive positions Committee members Special Events Program Leaders Public Relations Tech related positions 31
WHICH VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE BOOMERS FILLING? Positions with a short-term commitment Positions with flexibility Positions where they feel they are adding value Those that have financial benefits For example, a desirable position would be: Program facilitator for a program they like & have flexibility to say ""I am busy, I cannot attend this week." 32
WHICH VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE BOOMERS FILLING? I've found roles where they feel valued and needed are important. We currently have a recently retired "Manager" whom has enjoyed being asked to help on an organizing committee We benefited from her valuable skills and she enjoyed seeing us accomplish something which would have been difficult without her help. 33
WHICH VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE BOOMERS NOT FILLING? Kitchen Hands-on positions Arts and Crafts Long-term, high commitment positions Meaningless Tasks 34
WHICH VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE BOOMERS NOT FILLING? I believe the younger volunteers don't want to feel "stuck" in a volunteer position. They want and are willing to help where they can, but don't want to feel like "they're back at work". What they do has to have importance and they need to feel valued as their leisure time is important to them. (I believe if they still wanted to work, they would have just semi- retired.) They don't usually like a position that requires them to commit to a regular weekly task. 35
REGIONAL WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES WHAT YOU WANT TO WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW KNOW Synopsis of the latest info on baby boomer volunteers from Volunteer Canada, academic literature, reports and other sources Proven boomer volunteer recruitment/retention techniques How to make Board and Committee work more recognized and prestigious 36
NEXT STEPS REGIONAL WORKSHOPS REGIONAL WORKSHOPS A great opportunity to share stories A great opportunity to share stories and learn from each other! and learn from each other! 37
REGIONAL WORKSHOPS South West Region South West Region - - Thursday, October 30 Life After Fifty - Windsor Thursday, October 30 Golden Horseshoe Region Golden Horseshoe Region - - Wednesday, November 5 Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre Wednesday, November 5 Grand River Region Grand River Region - - Friday, November 21 Fairview Mennonite Home in Cambridge Friday, November 21 Metro Region Metro Region - - Monday, November 24 Monday, November 24 Rexdale Community Health Centre (satellite location) in Toronto Central Region Central Region - - Wednesday, November 26 Wednesday, November 26 Oshawa Senior Citizens Centre John St. Branch (Room 4) Eastern Region Eastern Region - - TBA TBA http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxSC1ZUkYGKUIUCG9d_atx_H5TpifCqEN1Tyjvl1B37BZQPaK7pA 38
NEXT STEPS INTERACTIVE WEBSITE INTERACTIVE WEBSITE Material about engaging baby boomers will be posted at oacao.ca: Resources for Older Adult Centres website Home of the Volunteer Management and Fundraising Toolbox Webinars will be scheduled for early 2015 If you have suggestions for content or if you have contributions for the website: Email vivaaging@gmail.com 39
