Why Our Work Is Important

It is essential to recognize the capacities of those who are marginalized because they are too old, or too young, or too poor. In a community whose assets are being fully recognized and mobilized, these people too will be a part of the action, not as clients or recipients of aid, but as full contributors to the community building process.

- "Building Communities From the Inside Out," McKnight and Kretsman

 

The Threat of Illiteracy

Nearly 75% of 4th grade students in the Boston Public Schools aren’t reading as well as they should.[1] This problem is frightening because literacy is critical to academic success. Children with strong reading skills are more likely to graduate from high school and succeed in college.[2] In the end, strong literacy skills help adults find well paying jobs and avoid poverty. [3]

The Need for Mentors

Consistent guidance from caring adults is critical for children who are learning to navigate a complex world. For many children this support must come from neighbors who commit to long-term, supportive relationships. These relationships have vast potential. In fact, a study of the largest mentoring program in America found that participating children were:

“46% less likely than [children in the control group] to initiate drug use and 27% less likely to initiate alcohol use during the study period. They were nearly 1/3 less likely to hit someone and skipped ½ as many days of school as control youth. They felt more competent about their ability to do well in school and, in fact, received slightly higher grades by the end of the study; and they reported more positive relationships with their friends and parents. These effects were sustained for both boys and girls across all races.” [4]

The Solution

Children need patient guidance from strong role models. Older adults are the perfect candidates for this work because:

• There is a critical mass - Boston will soon be home to nearly 150,000 older adults; [5]
• They are widely educated - 33% of Boston’s older adults attended college;[6]
• Older adults are rooted - nearly 75% of older adults have lived in Boston for over 20 years. [7] As a results, they are deeply committed to their neighbors, and are available to serve year-after-year. In fact, we average a 70% volunteer retention rate;
• They have time - many retirees are looking for meaningful ways to fill the hours, and about 50% say they want more social activities; [8]
• They want to be engaged - 60% of older adults say retirement is a time “to start a new chapter in life, and be active and involved;” [9]
• They want to help children - “working with children” is their favorite volunteer option. [10]

The Impact on Kids

Our programs use one-on-one and small group settings, so that children can get the attention they need. As a result, kids who once struggled to read are able to recover lost ground. Since 1997, students served through the Reading Coaches program have improved their literacy skills by an average of 2.5 reading levels per year. In comparison, students not receiving special instruction are expected to improve by an average of one reading level per year.

Teachers said the following things about our programs:

"The child [that the volunteer] worked with can now write a sentence that is legible. She couldn't before she was getting the one-on-one help."

"Both volunteers were very nurturing and were truly concerned for the children's well being. They were of great help and the children looked forward to spending time with them."

The Impact on Experience Corps Volunteers

It’s not only the children who benefit. Recently, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions found that Experience Corps volunteers improved their physical, cognitive, and social health as a result of their service. [11] They...

• reported feeling stronger;
• used canes less;
• watched TV less;
• reported fewer falls;
• reported that they had more people they could turn to for help.

Our programs reduce the isolation that older adults often experience by re-engaging them in community life.

"I was very busy and my life was active, but something was missing. I did not feel there was anything meaningful in my life. I wanted my life to be more participatory rather than sit back and observe. I realized that after a session with the children and the other volunteers I experienced more energy in my whole being. Even though I may have been tired, I felt alive."

Experience Corps Volunteer

Finally, our programs provide a way for older adults to cope with Boston's high cost of living. Unfortunately, nearly 1 out of every 5 older adults in Boston live below the poverty line (earning less than $8,980 per year). That is double the state and national poverty rates. [12]

In recognition of this, we are committed to offering a small stipend to volunteers who serve over 10 hours per week. To those living at the poverty line, our stipends can represent over 25% of their annual income. In short, this financial support can be critical for those struggling to make ends meet.

1. As measured by the 2005 Massachusetts Comprehensive Analysis System (MCAS).

2. Child Trends Databank. Reading Proficiency. www.childtrendsdatabank.org/eduskills/assessments/29Reading Proficiency.htm, June 3, 2003.

3. Clark, Will. “The State of Literacy in America.”

4. Sipe, Cynthia L. “Mentoring: A synthesis of P/PV’s Research: 19888-1995.” Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures; Fall 1996. www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/40_publication.pdf

5-8. The Boston Partnership for Older Adults. 100,000 Voices On Growing Old in Boston. Boston, MA: April 2003.

9-10. Hart, Peter D. The New Face of Retirement:. San Francisco, CA: Civic Ventures, 2002.

11. L. Fried, et al. "A Social Model for Health Promotion for an Aging Population: Initial Evidence on the Experience Corps Model" Journal of Urban Health. V81, N1, March 2004.

12. The Boston Partnership for Older Adults. 100,000 Voices On Growing Old in Boston. Boston, MA: April 2003.