Maryland Association of Counties

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Engage, Earn, Enlighten!
How Older Marylanders Can Live Purposeful Lives
and Give Back to Their Communities
Maryland Association of Counties Annual Summer
Conference August 12-15, 2009
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Session Goals

• Participants will
• Hear an overview and accomplishments of the
  Maryland NGA Policy Academy on Civic Engagement
  for Older Adults
• Have an opportunity to participate in a
  discussion and provide feedback relevant to work
  they do in their jurisdiction

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National Governors Association Policy Academy on
Civic Engagement2008-2009
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States

• Idaho
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Maryland!

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Policy Academy Key Components

• On-site orientation and initial planning session
• Strategic plan development
• Peer-to-peer learning with other states and
  experts
• Work group formation
• Follow-up and technical assistance

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Maryland Team

• Individuals representing the
• Governors Office on Service and Volunteerism
• Governors Grants Office
• State Departments of Labor, Licensing
  Regulation, Budget and Management, and Aging
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Maryland
• Baltimore Community Foundation
• Local Area Agencies on Aging
• AARP Maryland
• Montgomery County Government

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Maryland Team Goals

• Goal 1 Greater labor market participation among
  older Marylanders.
• Goal 2 Greater participation by older
  Marylanders in volunteer activities.
• Goal 3 Greater participation by older
  Marylanders in lifelong learning activities.

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What is in it for us?

• Technical assistance from NGA to assist us to
  meet Marylands goals.
• Harness energy and talent of one of Marylands
  greatest untapped resources, mature adults.
• Advance Governors Workforce Investment Board
  goals.
• Pre-emptive planning for large demographic
  changes in the aging population.
• Improve systems to connect older adults to
  employment, volunteerism, and educational
  opportunities.
• Position Maryland as an Aging-Friendly employer
  model.
• Represent the State as a catalyst for change (in
  Aging-Friendly Maryland).

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What is Civic Engagement?

• A continuum incorporating work, volunteerism, and
  lifelong learning
• Incorporates benefits for individuals, employers,
  economy, communities, and society at large

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Workforce Trends

• By 2012, labor force
• Aged 55 projected to increase by 49
• Aged 16-24 projected to increase by 9
• Projected labor shortage
• Retirement
• Shift from blue collar to white collar and
  service jobs
• Industries affected
• Utilities
• Aerospace
• Transportation
• Federal and State governments

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Marylands Workforce is Aging

• 37 of state employees are age 55 or older
• Average age of state employees is 46 years
• 32 (16,342) of all Maryland state employees
  could retire within 5 years

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Benefits of Mature Workers Staying Employed

• Contribute to growth of local and state economies
  and rely less on public support services such as
  Social Security and Medicaid
• Cost to replace an experienced worker can run 50
  or more of annual salary
• Less expensive for business to retain
  knowledgeable and skilled mature worker
• Increase workers Retirement Nest-egg/Social
  Security Benefits
• Continued healthcare coverage
• Seniors who participate in productive activities
  have better physical and mental health and lower
  mortality rates

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County Workforce Assessments

• County government as employer of older workers
• AARP workforce self-assessment tool
• Survey of Maryland counties as employers

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Montgomery County, MD Snapshot of Senior
Population

• 1980 to 2000 - Growth of 86
• From 49,700 to 92,500
• 2000 to 2020 - Projected growth of 65
• From 92,500 to 152,648

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Montgomery County, MD

• Executive Branch with 26 Major Departments
• Provides full range of public services to
  population of 979,000 residents
• Montgomery County is Merit System Employer
• Approximately 14,000 full-time and part-time
  merit system employees
•  Collective bargaining environment with three
  major labor unions Police, Fire Rescue,
  Municipal County Government Employees

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Montgomery County Fiscal Challenges

• County Faces Serious Fiscal Challenges 
• County FY2010 Budget Constraints Directly Impact
  Staffing and Program Service Provision to county
  residents

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Montgomery County, MDStrategic Workforce Planning

• FY 2008 County Executive Workforce
• Development Initiative
• Office of Human Resources Focus
• Plan and coordinate with Management and Unions
  based on Executive and County Council budget
  limits
• Manage implementation of human resources
  transitions during Reduction in Force
• Manage/Maintain human resources environment in
  periods of fiscal uncertainty to provide quality
  service delivery to county residents

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Montgomery County, MDStrategic Workforce Planning

• A. Workforce Diversity Component
• Staff development, staff advancement and staff
  retention
• Outreach and recruitment in Countys
  multicultural communities
• B. Employment Opportunities Component for Seniors
  as part of County Executive Senior Summit
• AARP Workforce Assessment Toolhttp//www.aarp.org
  /workforceassessment

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Why Volunteerism Is Important
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Benefits to the Volunteer
"Everybody can be great because everybody can
serve. - Martin Luther King, Jr. The
Corporation for National and Community Service
states that the first and biggest benefit people
get from volunteering is the satisfaction of
incorporating service into their lives and making
a difference in their community and country. The
intangible benefits alonesuch as pride,
satisfaction and accomplishmentare worthwhile
reasons to serve. In addition, when individuals
share our time and talents as volunteers, they
? Solve problems ? Strengthen
communities ? Improve lives ? Connect to
others ? Transform our own lives
Volunteering provides individual health benefits
? Lower mortality rates ? Greater functional
ability ? Lower rates of depression ? Positive
health outcomes
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Volunteering in Maryland
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Volunteering in Maryland

• Maryland Volunteer averages for the time period
  2006 to 2008
• 1.3 million volunteers statewide
• 28.8 of residents volunteer - ranking them
  26th
• 192.2 million hours of service
• 44.1 hours per resident - ranking them 10th
• 3.9 billion of service contributed
• Trends and Highlights
• Based on single year data (2008)
• Even with the economic crisis, the national
  volunteer rate remained relatively constant, from
  26.2 in 2007 to 26.4 in 2008.
• 30.8 of adults volunteered in Maryland in 2008,
  contributing 216.6 million hours of service.
• In addition to the 1.3 million adults in Maryland
  volunteering in 2008, an extra 185,355
  individuals worked with their neighbors to fix a
  problem or improve a condition in their community
  but did not serve through an organization.

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Maryland Compared to National Averages
National Median Hours 40 36 50 52 60 96 100
40 52 52 50
Age
Median Hours
State Rate
National Rate
16-24
40
23.5
22.3
25.3
25-34
32
23.7
35-44
52
31.1
32.1
45-54
65
31.2
31.3
55-64
64
31.5
28.8
65-74
100
34.5
27.3
75 and over
100
20.3
20.6
Age Group
College Students
36
27.0
27.4
Baby Boomers
60
32.1
31.2
Gender
Male
58
24.6
23.6
Female
54
32.1
30.6
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Lifelong Learning

• Improves memory
• Increases self-confidence
• Gives individuals an inexpensive
• way to try something new
• Provides a feeling of accomplishment
• Builds new relationships
• Improves current skills and provides an
  opportunity to learn a new skill or trade that
  may increase income
• Develops new interests to share with family and
  friends

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Local and National Philanthropic Efforts

• Atlantic Philanthropies
• Age 4 Action Network
• Community Experience Partnership
• Neighborhoods for All Ages

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Accomplishments of the Maryland Policy Academy
(to date)

• Pilot of Legacy Leadership Maryland
• Experience Corps Expansion Initiative
• Department of Budget and Management Analysis of
  State Workforce - Association of Baltimore Area
  Grantmakers outreach affinity groups
• Worked with AARP and MACo to survey Maryland
  Counties policies and procedures to support
  older workers
• Worked with the Baltimore County Workforce
  Investment Board on a regional application for an
  Older Worker Demonstration Grant

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Accomplishments (contd)

• Survey of AAAs
• Participation in webinar on workforce issues In
  conjunction with the Centers for State and Local
  Excellence and AARP
• Developed list of life long learning
  opportunities
• Outreach with volunteer centers and career
  centers
• Planning Fall 2009 Summit
• University of Maryland Legacy Leadership
  Institute on Municipal Government highlighted at
  Governors Grants Office training

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Envisioning Successful Aging

• All older Marylanders have the opportunity to
  engage in meaningful employment, volunteer, and
  lifelong learning activities to enhance
  individual quality of life and strengthen
  communities.

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ConclusionQuestions and Answers
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Contact Information

• Kevin Griffin Moreno
• Baltimore Community Foundation
• 410-332-4172, x147
• kmoreno_at_bcf.org
• Joanne Williams
• Baltimore County Department of Aging
• 410-887-2107
• jwilliams_at_baltimorecountymd.gov

• Joe Adler
• Montgomery County Government
• 240-777-5000
• Joseph.Adler_at_montgomerycountymd.gov
• Eric Brenner
• Governors Grants Office
• 410-974-5090
• ebrenner_at_gov.state.md.us
• Sandy Cobb
• Maryland Department of Aging
• 410-767-1084
• scobb_at_ooa.state.md.us