Updated
03/08/10

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Civic Engagement

Purpose

To inform the community about the opportunities available for older adults to become involved in civic engagement and, in turn, improve their personal health and also contribute to the surrounding community.

Summary

Civic engagement for older adults can be loosely defined as individuals participating in societal and personal activities that are life enhancing AND contribute to the community.

Late life civic engagement covers a wide variety of activities, ranging from: part-time or full-time work, volunteering, electoral participation, and organizational involvement.

The key to civic engagement is getting older adults involved in their community. This involvement is:

• beneficial to the health of the adult;
• valuable to the community as a whole; and
• provides a way for older adults to stay connected with their community.

Meeting the Challenge - USAA, Inc. Plan of Action 2008-2012, Planning for Positive Aging in Union and Snyder Counties. Our Area Plan:

• Describes what we do;
• Provides a summary of national trends and local needs;
• Describes what we want to do and how we plan to do it;
• Lists areas we need help and suggests how you can help.

Links

http://www.civicventures.org/ - Civic Ventures is a think tank and an incubator, generating ideas and inventing programs to help society achieve the greatest return on experienced adults.

http://www.experiencecorps.org/ - A full view of Experience Corps will reinforce for you the big idea behind our program and our parent organization, Civic Ventures – the idea that once we as a nation see the aging of America as an opportunity and older Americans as natural resources, we can begin to solve some of our most pressing social problems. We can begin to see a more optimistic future for all.

http://www.experienceworks.org/ - Experience Works is a national, nonprofit, community-based organization whose mission is to put the experience of older individuals to work.

http://www.seniorcorps.org/ - Senior Corps connects today's adults over 55 with the people and organizations that need them most. Senior Corps helps older adults to become mentors, coaches or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations.

http://coresusquehanna.org/ - AmeriCorps local members perform various community services in local schools, libraries, social service agencies, and environmental agencies.

http://www.pointsoflight.org/about/ - The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network engages and mobilizes millions of volunteers who are helping to solve serious social problems in thousands of communities.

Editor: fzaid@usaaa17.org

USAA Staff Directory