Sixty-five Network leaders under one roof: that’s a LOT of creativity, accomplishment and commitment. Our multigenerational group spanned veteran leaders Helen Dennis, Jan Hively and Doug Dickson, and newest Network members George Brewster, Joanne Webb (The Actors Fund) and Charlotte Japp (Cirkel). We welcomed participants from 33 states and six other countries: Canada, Chile, Italy, South Korea, Taiwan and the UK.
Our goals: fostering connections, sharing content, sparking creativity and inspiring commitments to benefit ALL Network members. Our big topics: effective messages, partnerships and blending “old power” and “new power” in our work and the encore movement.
As we gathered, members shared their encore “aha” moments. Check out this slide share for inspiration.
Ayleen Jung, Seoul 50Plus
“When my father retired in his 50s – finding what he could do.”
Doug Dickson, Encore Boston Network
“Reading Marc Freedman’s book Prime Time”
Messages & Reframing Aging What’s next: Webinars! Reframing Aging guru and Changing the Narrative Colorado lead Janine Vanderburg will lead a February 26 session on the Frameworks Institute material and lessons learned from a year of work in Colorado. Register here. In April, Encore Boston Network lead Doug Dickson will offer a “targeted encore messages” session.
We’ll also launch a Network Facebook group this month, giving you an easy way to connect with other members and share your news. Thanks to Janine Vanderburg for leading that effort; we’re recruiting additional moderators.
Partnerships for movement-building, expanding encore pathways and engaging encore-age adults Breakout groups explored those topics, highlighting marriage-equality and disability rights movements as valuable models and listing potential partners to build pathways and engage more people. What’s next: we’ll document partnership ideas to help you expand encore pathways and foster engagement and share those in January. We’ll also organize a webinar showcasing partnership success stories.
“New Power” offers fresh ideas for building the encore movement and expanding our programs. Co-author Jeremy Heimans outlined characteristics of old power (top-down, expert-driven, delivering a fully-formed product/service to consumers) and new power (peer-driven, open, participatory, do-it-yourself) noting that successful organizations and movements use both types of power. What’s next: Read a Harvard Business Review summary, watch Jeremy Heimans’s TED Talk. We’ll expand our understanding through Network discussions; share resources so you can engage your stakeholders; support each others’ social media efforts; and surface products/services that others can leverage.
Other highlights
Get involved: Speaking of new power, you can expand the Network’s activities and add value to your membership by getting active in our Facebook group, welcoming new members or facilitating bi-monthly Encore Connect conversations. Contact Network lead Betsy Werley to say yes.
Network member commitments: In our closing session, participants recorded summit-inspired commitments. Themes: making encore messages more front and center in our work, expanding encore in higher education, fostering local connections – and an Ohio encore gathering. Read the full list here.
Encore Network 101/member benefits: members learned about the Network in this overview. We reviewed member benefits in this document.
Social media stars: Congrats to Network members, among the summit’s most active social media users: Susan Collins (The Transition Network), Charlotte Japp (Cirkel), Dianna Kall (Greater Cleveland Volunteers), Ellie Mixter-Keller (Alliance for Strong Families and Communities Second Acts program), Kate Schaefers (University of Minnesota Advanced Careers Institute).
New connections with SCORE (pro bono business consulting in 300+ chapters around the US) We were delighted to have California-based SCORE leaders Bill Morland and Dennis Wright attend the conference. They’ve led SCORE chapters in the western US and currently lead chapters in Long Beach/South Bay (Bill) and Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties (Dennis).
For 50+ years, SCORE has helped organizations get off the ground and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. Today 10,000 SCORE consultants bring expertise in 62 industries. They’re kindred spirits with the encore movement’s view that older adults are a resource. SCORE’s work is supported by the Small Business Administration and volunteers, so it delivers free or low-cost services, in person, by e-mail or video conference. In addition to consulting, SCORE offers free online business tips, tools and templates.
What’s next: We encourage Network members to tap SCORE’s resources in building your programs (ask for a SCORE mentor here), and connect with local SCORE chapters when you’re planning encore events (find SCORE chapter contacts here). We’re also talking about fostering closer ties between SCORE and Encore Network programs where they work in the same area.
Questions? Contact Encore Network lead Betsy Werley here.
Published: December 4, 2018