Encore Blog & News

Could You Live With Half - of Anything?

Marci Alboher — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:16:23 -0500

“We didn’t set out to be obnoxious consuming yuppies,” said Kevin Salwen, as he opened the discussion of the book he wrote with his daughter, Hannah, The Power of Half at a New York City bookstore one snowy night in February. The room was filled with people who had come to hear about how Salwen and his family decided to sell their Atlanta mansion, move to a home half the size, and donate half the sales price – about $800,000 – to The Hunger Project to help villagers in Ghana.

Myths and Realities of Community College Teacher Prep Programs

Cal Halvorsen — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:11:49 -0500

For those interested in switching careers to become a teacher, community colleges are a quality (and affordable) stop along the way to earning certification. More than 90 percent of community colleges in the United States offer teacher education coursework, and nearly 50 percent have teacher education programs. That’s a lot, considering that there are nearly 1,200 community colleges in the nation.

However, some myths associated with community colleges undermine the importance of the work they are doing in creating tomorrow’s teachers. A report by the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs helps to dispel some of them. Here are some key points from the report:

Upcoming Encore Career Events

Terry Nagel — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:03:47 -0600

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.

CALIFORNIA

Palo Alto Area

June 20-July 2, 2010, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 518 Memorial Way, Stanford. The Center for Social Innovation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business is now accepting applications for the next offering of the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship. Tailored to the needs and challenges facing seasoned social entrepreneurs, the curriculum is designed to help participants take enterprises and innovative models to the next level by refining their innovations and leveraging their impact. Applications must be submitted by April 19. Cost: $4,000-$8,400, depending on your organization’s budget; a substantial tuition subsidy is available for applicants from nonprofit organizations and government agencies. For more information, visit the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship or contact Brett Cicerone at cicerone_brett@gsb.stanford.edu or (650) 723-0544.

City Managers Focus Talents on Encore Careers

Frank Benest — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:23:54 -0600

Editor’s note: Dr. Frank Benest is the retired city manager of Palo Alto, Calif. Read about his own encore journey here.

More than 50 active and recently retired city managers and their partners participated in a workshop called “Crafting Your Next Life Phase: Strategies for Self-Renewal,” a first effort to develop an encore manager initiative for city government managers.

The workshop was conducted by the California City Management Foundation (CCMF) last month at its convening in Carlsbad, Calif., and was cosponsored by the California chapter of the International City/County Management Association (Cal-ICMA).

Encore Careers Telebriefing Available as Podcast

Terry Nagel — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:08:34 -0600

The Encore Careers Telebriefing held March 3 is available to download for free here.

The 45-minute session offers practical tips on finding an encore career that combines continued income doing work that has personal meaning and social impact. It features Marci Alboher, our in-house encore careers specialist; Erin O’Connor Jones, an expert on transitions to the nonprofit sector with the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group; and Mark Noonan, whose encore career involves working at Elders in Action in Portland, Ore.

Act On Your Passion

Ellen Silber — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:05:23 -0600

By Guest Blogger and Purpose Prize fellow, Ellen Silber

Encore careers are motivated by passion! Look closely at your immediate world and the larger one around you, and you’re almost sure to find a problem, a cause, a group of people that need the kind of help that you can give. Take stock of your lifetime of experience and the skills you have developed. Then comes the most difficult part: taking action! Find some like-minded people or begin on your own; others will follow.

Prior to my encore career as the founder of Mentoring Latinas, a support program for local Latina students, I was teaching women’s studies, doing gender equity research and running a leadership workshop for adolescent girls.

Encore Entrepreneurs: A Fast-Growing Group

Terry Nagel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:00:24 -0600

Cinde Dolphin of Sacramento thought it would be easy to get another job after she took a buyout from her marketing position with Coors. After months of searching, she started her own marketing and public relations firm. Norberto Bogard created a Spanish entertainment guide to New York City after he lost his job as a reporter for a Spanish-language financial news program.

Both are among the fast-growing group of entrepreneurs over age 55 that are the focus of a March 4 report in The New York Times by Steven Greenhouse. According to the Small Business Administration, the number of self-employed people ages 55 to 64 rose 52 percent between 2000 and 2007.

Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures, told Greenhouse that would-be entrepreneurs shouldn’t be deceived by money magazines that make it look as though “all you need is a new idea, that you wander out there, you run your own B&B, you start your nonprofit and all the birds are singing.”

Get Ready for Encore Careers of the Future

Terry Nagel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:50:25 -0600

They aren’t household terms yet, says Phyllis Segal, vice president at Civic Ventures, but many jobs are emerging that are a natural fit for people seeking careers in midlife that combine continued income with social impact.

“Many of today’s new encore careers build on multiple work and life experiences, so they are a good match for older adults who’ve spent decades in the workplace,” Segal told Elizabeth Pope of The New York Times. She urges individuals to get up to speed for coming job opportunities through community colleges, online courses and workshops.

One person who did just that is Mark Davis, 51, of Washington, D.C., a former title company owner. When he found out there weren’t many solar installation companies in his city, Pope writes, he decided to start one. He attended the Green Encore solar training at Ohlone College in Fremont, Calif., this year, then launched WDC Solar in his encore career.

Six $25,000 Grants Available to Encore Colleges

Jennifer Coate — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:03 -0600

Is your two-year institution preparing boomers for encore careers in education and health care? It could be one of six community colleges nationwide to be awarded a 2010 Encore Career Community College grant. Apply online. The deadline is April 12, 2010.

Each $25,000 grant supports programs that match the skills and interests of experienced adults with high-need careers in education and health.

Coming of Age Opens in San Francisco

Terry Nagel — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:30:10 -0600

Coming of Age will launch in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, March 4, with a grand opening party that is open to the public. Coming of Age: Bay Area joins a national movement that is capturing and utilizing the expertise and energy of people 50+ as a force for social good.