One generation of senior citizens will be different from the next.
“We need more young [volunteers, donors, subscribers, participants]!”
Whenever I hear some version of “we need young,” I usually counter with, “No, we need new.” New is not necessarily young.
If your organization’s current base skews over 70, instead of running after young ones, turn your attention to attracting the next generation of 70 year olds–people in their 50s and 60s. Generational cohorts are different than the one before. Think of your parents’ generation at the age you are now. They were different, right? It will take intentional effort to understand and stay relevant to the next generation of your current base.
It will also take intentional effort to resist ageism and the cultural norm to ignore older adults. There is a big payoff for this work. While everyone else is courting the young and the sexy, your organization will be rewarded for its attention to seniors with new [volunteers, donors, subscribers, participants].
Note 1: The older we get, the more different we become from others the same age. There are frail seniors and seniors who climb mountains; those who do not own a computer and those who use the latest technology. Even in the same age group, older adults defy generalizations.
Note 2: If 80 percent of organizational efforts are directed toward attracting new people who of a similar age to your base and its next generation, there’s a healthy 20 percent of organizational resources available to attract much younger [volunteers, donors, subscribers, participants].
Note 3: For related posts, filter for the category “On-the-Job Lessons.”
—Sue Edison-Swift
May 5, 2013
