Voices from the Field: Hiring Older Youth Workers in Afterschool

Source: Experience Corps

By Sam Piha

Eric Gurna is the former president and CEO of LA’s BEST and he has some experience with hiring older youth workers in afterschool programs. To learn more about this, we asked him a few questions and his responses are below.

Q: Do you think hiring older adults to work with youth is a good match?

A: I do think hiring older adults to work with youth is a good match - it's mutually beneficial for youth participants, young adult staff and older adults. We don't create enough opportunities in our culture for intergenerational exchange outside family settings. Historically we had these opportunities for older and younger people to interact in mutually enriching ways but in our current modern American society this is lacking, and bringing older adults in to work with youth in informal educational settings is a way to do that. Older adults bring a range of experiences that they can share with the mostly young adult staff of afterschool programs as well as youth. In practical terms it is also a good fit - the youth program workforce is largely part-time, and many older adults are looking for that kind of arrangement. 

Q: Generational diversity (older workers)- What are the benefits to the workplace, workers, and youth?

A: Please see answer above! Intergenerational communication has the potential to build empathy and understanding on all sides.  

Q: What are the potential challenges?

A: Because many young adults have not had the opportunity to interact with many older adults outside their own family, some may feel a bit close-minded to learning from and working with older adults. Likewise, some older adults can bring a sort of "I know best," condescending approaching to younger staff. I think these challenges are relatively minor, and can be mostly avoided with a strong staff orientation and ongoing professional development process, so that all staff learn and grow together.

Source: AARP Experience Corps

Q: How should an organization prepare itself to incorporate older workers?

A: I’m not really sure of the specifics here, but I think the first step is to learn from other organizations who have made intentional efforts to incorporate older workers already. Understanding the needs and concerns that older adults have about coming into a youth program workplace is important, so asking them about that would be a good start as well. 

Q: Any resources that you would recommend?

A: When I was CEO of LA's BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program, we had a thriving partnership with AARP Experience Corps - they have developed amazing partnerships with youth programs across the country and have a wealth of experience to learn from.  

Q: Would you offer any tips for program leaders?

A: Besides what I have already mentioned, I would encourage program leaders to stay open minded and enthusiastic about the idea of bringing older adults into their workforce - that positive attitude will go a long way. 

MORE ABOUT…

Eric Gurna

Eric Gurna is an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant committed to supporting the work of organizations dedicated to community & youth development and social justice. From 2015 to 2021, Eric served as President & CEO of LA's BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program, a partnership of the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and the private sector serving 25,000 children at nearly 200 Los Angeles elementary schools. Eric joined LA’s BEST as the second President & CEO in the organization’s history. During his tenure, LA's BEST helped to lead a statewide advocacy movement that led to close to $200M in increased funding for expanded learning programs, secured the largest private donation in organizational history ($2M), spearheaded an initiative for LA's BEST to become the first large-scale trauma-informed expanded learning system in the nation and completely revamped the organization's visual branding and messaging.

Eric brings a deep commitment to positive youth development to his work, and a national reputation for thought leadership in the Expanded Learning movement. He also brings a nuanced understanding and appreciation for how children learn and develop, and a passion for staff and program development.

UPCOMING WEBINAR:

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Hiring Older Workers in Afterschool

Source: Americorps Seniors

By Sam Piha

A solution to the afterschool program worker shortage AND the need to diversify staff is hiring and deploying older adults or “wisdom” workers. We are working to raise understanding and awareness of the impact of hiring older adults to work in afterschool programs and how youth programs can utilize this talent pool.  

There are multiple benefits of bringing on older workers. These benefits involve many of our stakeholders. The benefits below are listed in generationsworkingtogether.org and The 10 Benefits of Connecting Youth and Seniors written by Jenée Mendillo, Bayshore Home Care. 

• Youth
• Fill a void for children who do not have grandparents available to them;
• Provide an opportunity to learn new skills and understanding of history.

•  Older Adult Workers
• Gives a sense of purpose;
• Invigorate and energize older adults;
• Provide an opportunity to learn new skills;
• Improved health and wellbeing: Some studies have found that intergenerational practice can have positive impacts on health and wellbeing, including reduced feelings of loneliness and improved physical and mental health outcomes. 

• Workplace
• Increased understanding and respect: Intergenerational practice can help to increase understanding and respect between different generations and can help to reduce negative stereotypes, bias, ageism and prejudices;
• Intergenerational practice can help to build a stronger more inclusive workplace by bringing people of different ages together and promoting understanding and cooperation;
• Administration: In addition to working directly with kids, older adults come with past experiences that can be very useful in the administration realm. 

• Larger Community
• Increased opportunities for volunteering and civic engagement: Intergenerational practice can provide opportunities for individuals of all ages to get involved in volunteering and civic engagement, which can have numerous benefits for both the individual and the community;
• Enhanced community cohesion: Intergenerational practice can help to build stronger, more inclusive communities by bringing people of different ages together and promoting understanding and cooperation;
• Increased understanding and respect: Intergenerational practice can help to increase understanding and respect between different generations and can help to reduce negative stereotypes, bias, ageism and prejudices. 

Source: Americorps Seniors

MYTHS ABOUT OLDER WORKERS

Lin Grensing-Pophal shares in The Benefits of Wisdom and Experience, “The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) name and debunk myths and stereotypes about older workers:

• Myth 1: Experienced workers are more expensive. It used to seem logical that the longer an employee worked for an organization, the more costly they became. That's no longer the case as more organizations have moved to performance and market-based pay models rather than the tenure-based models. 
• Myth 2: 'Older' workers fear technology. With the right resources and training, anyone can learn, adapt, and embrace technology. Regardless of age, we all learn new programs and applications all the time. 
• Myth 3: Over time, people stop caring about their work. Employers and their HR advisers will likely be glad to hear that more experienced workers are engaged workers. SHRM reports that 65 percent of employees over age 55 are engaged at work. 
• Myth 4: 'Older' workers have more health problems. According to SHRM, younger workers actually take more sick days. 
• Myth 5: 'Older' workers resist change. SHRM reports that more startups are founded by older people than younger people.” 

RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE

ORGANIZATIONS

• AARP Foundation- Experience Corps  
• Americorp- Senior Corp
• Co-Generate
• Parentis Foundation
• Generations Working Together

ARTICLES

• The Benefits of Wisdom and Experience
• 10 Advantages Inter-Generational Diversity Brings to the Workplace 
• The 10 Benefits of Connecting Youth and Seniors

WEBINAR TRAINING
Hiring Older Adults in Afterschool Programs

This webinar is designed to raise understanding and awareness of the impact of hiring older adults to work in afterschool programs and how afterschool programs can utilize this talent pool. It will review the benefits of an age- diverse staff, provide program examples and tips on recruiting, train and utilize older “wisdom” workers in administrative and direct service positions. We will also share resources for afterschool leaders. We recommend this webinar to program and organizational leaders and program staff as they consider the best ways to recruit and incorporate multigenerational staff into their program.

 

To learn more and register, click here.