About Encore.org
Encore.org is published by Civic Ventures, a nonprofit think tank that is leading the call to engage millions of experienced individuals in becoming a force for social change. Civic Ventures focuses on creating pathways to encore careers that provide continued income doing work that is personally fulfilling and helps address some of society’s biggest challenges.
While Encore.org is not a job placement service, it provides free, comprehensive information that helps individuals transition to jobs in the nonprofit world and the public sector. Among the features Encore.org offers are:
Encore Advice – The Encore Advice section offers articles with practical tips on how to find an encore career, organized by the four stages of an encore career: Explore, Prepare, Find and Connect.
Encore Communities – You can tap the power of other Encore.org members by joining one or more Encore Communities or by forming your own group to discuss a topic of mutual interest or find others in your geographic area. All Encore.org members are invited to join Encore Nation, which allows them to blog in that community.
Encore Connect – Located in the right-hand column of the Community page, Encore Connect helps you connect with other members by encore career type, user name or zip code.
Encore Everywhere – Below Encore Connect on the Community page is Encore Everywhere, a set of links to Encore Career communities on Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Search – The site's search box in the upper right-hand corner of each page is a powerful tool in itself. If you want to find other people in your area, just search for your city. It will also pull up news and commentary that mention any term. Or try searching a word like "green" or "environment" to find blogs and members on a specific topic.
Blog & News –The Blog & News section on Encore.org features news of interest to encore careerists. You can comment on a story to start a lively exchange about a topic that interests you.
Encore Resources – The Encore Resources page provides hundreds of resources to help you transition to encore career. A sort feature lets you find all resources on a particular topic.
Encore Answers – Located in the right-hand column of the Find Your Encore Career page, Encore Answers invites you to ask a question about encore careers. If there is answer in the system, you will receive an immediate answer. If not, you will be notified when the question is answered. All members in the community are invited to answer members' questions.
Encore Employers – Encore Employers who want to create opportunities for encore careers have a page of their own.
Encore careers combine personal fulfillment, social impact and continued income, enabling people to put their passion to work for the greater good.
The tarnished dream of Golden Years of endless leisure is giving way to a new form of practical idealism: real jobs tackling real problems and making real impact.
It's a growing trend. A 2008 Civic MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures survey found that more than 5 million people ages 44 to 70 have begun encore careers. Of those not already in encore careers, half say they want them.
The Encore Careers campaign aims to engage millions of boomers in encore careers, providing personal fulfillment doing paid work and producing a windfall of human talent to solve society's greatest problems.
The Encore Careers campaign is a project of Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. Other initiatives that are part of the Encore Careers campaign include The Purpose Prize, which invests in social innovators over 60; a community college initiative to develop pathways to encore careers; an awards program for employers of people in encore careers; and a pilot fellowship program for boomers in the Silicon Valley.
In addition, the campaign sponsors research studies and papers, talks around the country and social marketing efforts. Encore.org serves the growing community of people who are in encore careers or looking for them.
Encore Fellowships are emerging as a new model to facilitate transitions from midlife careers to encore careers. Details vary among programs, but generally, they provide paid, one-year leadership and management positions with nonprofit and public-sector organizations, as preparation for longer encore careers in public service.
A pilot project in California's Silicon Valley, sponsored by Civic Ventures, spurred Congress to include Encore Fellows in the new Serve America national service legislation. Read more
Launched in 2006 as the first Baby Boomers turned 60, The Purpose Prize is a major initiative investing in a new generation of social innovators – individuals in the second half of life who are marshaling their accumulated experience to tackle some of America's most pressing problems.
Unlike any other major national award or fellowship, The Purpose Prize challenges prevailing perceptions by investing significantly in accomplished social innovators over the age of 60. Each year, up to six people who have demonstrated uncommon vision, determination and entrepreneurialism in addressing community, national and international problems win $100,000 each. A second group of innovators wins $10,000 each, and dozens more are named Purpose Prize Fellows.
All are making extraordinary contributions to society in their encore careers. Nominations for the 2009 Purpose Prize are open through March 5, 2009. For more information or to nominate someone (including yourself), go to purposeprize.org.
In Encore: Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, Marc Freedman tells the stories of encore career pioneers who are working not only for continued income, but also for the promise of more meaning and the chance to do work that matters. As their numbers begin to swell, these individuals hold the potential to transform work in America — and create a society that works better for everyone.
Encore has recently been issued in paperback.
Encore.org is an initiative of Civic Ventures. Click here for a roster of Civic Ventures staff and advisers.
Contact Encore.org at info@encore.org or 415.430.0141.
