Networking — the opportunity to exchange ideas and successes,
brainstorm about potential projects and events, share resources and
information, and establish lines of communication ...
Networking can be the catalyst for expanding programs and
services for older adults.
You're a senior center manager responsible for coordinating
leisure time activities, programs and services for older adults
of varying ages, capabilities and interests. Your background is
in gerontology and nutrition. In the next town, there is a recreation programmer at odds with what kinds of programs and
services are appropriate for the older adults of vastly different
ages that frequent the community center. Her experience is in
recreation and business.
Both people are capable of offering well-rounded programs for
older adults in their communities, however, each needs the expertise the other person possesses. These are the '90s folks.
Budgets are tight, competition for grant funding is fierce, and
programs are being cut daily. Enough gloom and doom.
Enter networking — the opportunity to exchange ideas and successes, brainstorm about potential projects and events, share
resources and information, and establish lines of communication. Networking and collaborative projects can be the
salvation for any department on the verge of shutting down or consolidating with other departments. Networking
can be the catalyst for expanding programs and services for older adults.
Networking can be an opportunity to create outstanding programs
and services for older adults with the expertise of individuals
from various fields. It's time to start working together to enhance services for older adults and lay aside "turf protection."
• Find out who in your community is your counterpart in
other departments. Contact this person and arrange a meeting to discuss the needs of older adults in your community.
• Establish a senior advisory council — older adults who
will guide service providers to ensure a balance of programs and services tailored to their needs.
• Collaborate on a special event or project. Determine each other's professional strengths and weaknesses,
and distribute tasks based on this information. Plan to contribute
equally in planning, personnel, equipment, facilities, and
yes, even resource$.
• Offer to act as a consultant for the other department. Utilize each other's areas of expertise as often as possible.
• Offer to conduct training your area of expertise for the other
department's staff. Ask others to reciprocate.
• Work cooperatively on a grant application and subsequent
project.
• Share newsletters, publications and other information regarding issues of importance to older adults.
• Set up an exchange agreement — swap the use of facilities
for the presentation of a program your department or patrons need.
Source: Leisure and Aging Newsletter Quarterly. Issue #3,
December 1993. National Recreation and Park Association. •
32 • Illinois Parks & Recreation • November/December 1994
