from The New York Times:

Older Workers Bring New Purpose to Volunteer Work

Spurred by the tight job market or often career-change aspirations, older workers with specific goals for donating their time are remaking the face of volunteerism. Call it giving back with an agenda.

Executives at nonprofit organizations around the country testify to the new worker demands, many of them from baby boomers used to pushing for what they want. The execs are hardly complaining – volunteerism is on the rise and it’s the older population that’s behind it.

… But nonprofits say it’s boomers, now ranging from age 45 to 64, who are driving the trend of looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities as they near retirement. That’s a big change from earlier generations, whose volunteers, many of them women without jobs, typically haven’t arrived with specific demands.

”Baby boomers know what they want to do and will only volunteer in that capacity.”

Instead of mailing letters or doing basic office or administrative work, boomer volunteers at nonprofits are serving on boards, identifying new clients, helping with marketing and fundraising and even taking on management roles.