Getting Involved

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) will assist local communities to develop elder friendly communities, neighborhoods, and supportive services for aging in community initiatives. NYSOFA will promote civic engagement initiatives using retired individuals with relevant work and life experience to assist community organizations, while also providing substantial cognitive, emotional and physical benefits to retirees.

NYSOFA will provide regional training to retired community leaders or professionals with expertise in operating a non-profit, business, or other relevant community organizing experience. The skills, knowledge and expertise of these individuals will be used as a resource around the state for building capacity for aging in community projects to be developed and implemented.

NYSOFA will assist in recruiting and training. This process will be a partnership between NYSOFA and the local agencies/organizations that commit to host a trained professional volunteer. An overview of what will be provided by NYSOFA and required by the host organization is listed below.

NYSOFA's role:

• Work within communities across the state to assist with recruiting retired community leaders and professionals with expertise in non-profit, business or aging related fields.
• Create and conduct a training program with assistance from a consultant. The training program will outline the basic responsibilities of the professional volunteer and would highlight how to assist host agencies with creating or promoting aging in community projects.
• Provide funding for travel, meals and accommodations for regional training sessions.

Host Agency's Role:

• Provide suggestions for recruitment in your locality and promote opportunities for the experience within your service area.
• Provide meeting space (if available) for a training to be held in your region.
• Be willing to commit to the hosting a trained professional volunteer and to utilize their expertise to assist with capacity building for aging in community projects in your area.

Please consider your interest in learning more about this idea and becoming more involved. We ask that you complete one of the sign-up sheets attached and return it to NYSOFA, attention Jody Signoracci at Two Empire State Plaza, 5th Floor, Albany NY 12223-1251 or fax to: 518-474-1398. Or contact our office at communityempowerment@ofa.state.ny.us

Sign up for Empowering Communities for Successful Aging Listserv

The Albany Guardian Society, in partnership with Steuben/Allegany Rural Health is organizing a Listserv dedicated to sharing information and continuing the discussions that began in November 2008 at the NYSOFA co-hosted Empowering Communities for Successful Aging conference. You are invited to share your ideas, experiences and strategies about how to best assist communities in becoming more livable for people of all ages, and especially older New Yorkers. Many communities have embraced the concept of Community Empowerment and have begun to implement initiatives to advance this goal.

To enroll, go to www.empoweringNYcommunities.org and click on the Join the List Serve box. By joining the List Serve you will have an opportunity to share information about efforts that are underway in your community and you will be able to more easily network with other advocates and learn how communities and organizations are implementing new and exciting programs across the state.

Sign up to volunteer to help older New Yorkers in your community

Sign up to be a resource to agencies in your community

Sign up to host a trainee in your organization or business

Sign up to host a community empowerment training program

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