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Local gatherings can be a good way to create a support network for your encore career transition and accelerate the encore career trend in your community. The gatherings can be as small as a few friends sharing coffee or as large as a town hall meeting to mobilize encore talent citywide.

Here are some tips to help you start an Encore Careers discussion group in your community. Click on the links in the text to download documents and videos to help you host your gathering.

1. Pick a topic for your Encore Careers meeting Suggestions include:
• Are You Ready for an Encore Career? – Introduce friends to the encore careers idea and invite them to discuss their personal goals for the second half of life. See "Encore Careers FAQs" for tips on answering basic questions.
• Meet an Encore Careerist – Invite someone in your community to describe his or her encore career. You can search Encore.org by your city or state to find people in your area. To locate Purpose Prize winners and Fellows, visit The Purpose Prize Web site.
• Book Group – Discuss Encore: Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life by Marc Freedman. Click here for a Book Club Reading Guide. Or check out Freedman's latest book, The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife. See the book discussion guide for The Big Shift here.
• Big Screen Party – Watch videos of Purpose Prize winners describing their encore careers and talk about what it takes to become a social entrepreneur.
• Help Pave the Way for Encore Careers – Invite several local employers to discuss ways they might help create pathways for encore careers. Click here to read “10 Ideas to Help Employers Tap Encore Talent”.
2. Pick a date, time and location for your meeting
   • It could be your home, a local church, library, school or recreation center. Serving refreshments sometimes entices people to come.
3. Invite your friends
   • Send them invitations and ask them to RSVP by a specific date. You may wish to attach some articles about encore careers. For a suggested invitation, click here.
   • If you want to hold a large gathering, let us know and we can help get out the word.
4. Hold your meeting
   • See the Discussion Tips handout for guidance on leading a discussion and keep next steps in mind. If you plan to meet again, agree on a time and place.

     Note: You can download handouts below or show a video of someone in an encore career.

   • Send us an email telling us what worked and didn't work.
     • Let us know when and where you held your meeting, how many people attended and we'll mail you a copy of Marc Freedman’s book, The Big Shift. We also encourage you to blog about your group on Encore Nation. If you want to continue your group's conversation online, you can create a new online community group on Encore.org.
     • Please send your email to info@encore.org.