Editor’s note: The following article by David Bank, vice president of Civic Ventures, appears in the Fall 2009 edition of Generations, the journal of the American Society of Aging. See below for more information about the issue.

The Great Recession is over, the chairman of the Federal Reserve and other officials have declared. It might not feel that way to the 10 percent of Americans who are officially unemployed, including the more than 2 million out-of-work Americans over age 55 whose ranks have more than doubled in two years.

If it’s back to business as usual for bankers and traders, it’s anything but for those at or near what used to be called retirement age. Nearly two-thirds of those ages 50 to 61 expect to delay their retirement because of the recession, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. Nearly four of every 10 adults who are still working at age 62 have already delayed their retirement plans.

Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures, responds today on The Huffington Post to David Brooks’ call for a “generativity revolution,” noting that “the real generativity revolution is well under way. And with the help of smart new policies, this movement of forward-looking baby boomers might actually succeed.”

Freedman writes, “It’s increasingly clear that these older workers aren’t competing with younger people; they are meeting demands for talent that will only grow as the economy recovers.”

The New York Times' David Brooks issues a rousing call to action for the encore generation in his column today.

Under the headline, "The Geezers' Crusade," Brooks calls for a social movement of older adults on behalf of younger people.

"Spontaneous social movements can make the unthinkable thinkable, and they can do it quickly, Brooks writes. "It now seems clear that the only way the U.S. is going to avoid an economic crisis is if the oldsters take it upon themselves to arise and force change."

A story on MSNBC about three individuals in their encore careers brought the biggest spike in Encore.org’s history – more than 3,400 visits in a single day.

The article posted on January 25, “Workers Finding Fulfillment in Encore Careers,” tells the stories of Terry Ramey, 42, a former autoworker in Michigan who is currently in nursing school; Penny Mudd, 55, a 20-year Silicon Valley veteran who is studying to become a middle school math teacher; and Barbara Higbee, 57, a district manager for a Texas merchandising school who now works for a women’s crisis center.

The economic crisis may be about to claim as another victim: Idealist.org, the nonprofit job site that has been a strong proponent of encore careers.

Ami Dar, Idealist’s founder and chief executive, explained in an appeal this morning that the recession has cut Idealist’s revenues from nonprofit job postings, which had grown to cover about 70 percent of the organization’s budget, leaving a hole of $100,000 each month

There are plenty of chances to learn more about encore careers in coming weeks, whether it's listening to a speaker or diving into the nitty-gritty of what's involved in finding your own purpose-driven job.

Here are some upcoming events that offer an opportunity to learn more. You can also visit Encore.org's Events Calendar. See our Midlife Transition Groups blog to learn more about organizations that help members find encore careers. If you want to start your own group, see our Encore Careers Meeting Toolkit.

WEBINARS

Wednesday, February 3, 11 a.m-2 p.m. Pacific/2-5 p.m. Eastern. OpportunityKnocks.org presents Frances Kunreuther, Helen Kim and Robby Rodriguez, authors of a new book called Working Across Generations: Defining the Future of Nonprofit Leadership. This Webinar is aimed at nonprofit directors and others who want to learn how to work together in multigenerational settings and the implications of generational change on leadership in the nonprofit sector. Cost: $160, includes book. Click here to learn more and register online.

Applications are due February 1 for The Broad Residency in Urban Education, a national leadership development program that places participants in full-time paid managerial positions at the top levels of urban school districts, charter management organizations and the U.S. Department of Education.

Broad Residents assume highly visible roles reporting to superintendents or other senior leaders. They earn starting salaries of $85,000 to $95,000 with full benefits. The major projects they lead require top-notch analytical skills and the ability to manage projects and teams. Working within the system, participants are well positioned to lead the transformation required to ensure that every American child receives a world-class education.

Volunteers boosted their brain performance after working with children in the Experience Corps program, according to a study featured in today’s New York Times.

The small study, which was recently published in The Journal of Gerontology, tested eight female volunteers before and after they mentored children in Baltimore public schools. They are part of a network of 2,000 Experience Corps volunteers who are mentoring 20,000 students in 22 cities across the United States.

Want to find an encore career in 2010 but don’t know how to get started? Here are 10 tips to help you find paid, purposeful work.

1. Download our new Get Started Guide. Acclaimed by The Wall Street Journal and others, it answers 12 frequently asked questions about finding encore careers that provide pay, personal fulfillment and social impact.

2. Watch a video or listen to a podcast by Marci Alboher, our in-house encore careers expert.

Dan Pink’s latest book, Drive, turns traditional thinking about how organizations motivate people (and how we try to motivate ourselves) on its head. After studying the scientific research on motivation, Pink came to the conclusion that what science knows about how to motivate people is entirely different than what organizations do.

If more of the world starts paying attention to Pink’s ideas, we should be seeing fewer carrots and sticks, and a lot more recognition that people are motivated by intrinsic forces like the desire for autonomy and mastery, as well as the quest to be part of something bigger than themselves, which Pink calls purpose. Sound familiar?