What’s Age Got to Do With It: Generational Shifts in Movement Building AWID November 16, 2008 Claudia Gomez-Artega Helen Kim Frances Kunreuther

Building Movement Project 2 Goals  Explore generational shifts in leadership in NGOs  Understand different generations’ views  Generate ideas for working across generations  Introduce different exercises you can use in your setting

Building Movement Project 3 Agenda  Interactive Introductions  Case Scenario  Presentation of Findings  What to take back to your work

Building Movement Project 4 Introductions!  Aha! Moment that brought you into (feminist) movement work  When (year),  What happened  How old were you at the time  What else was going on in your region at that time (social, economic, and so on)

Building Movement Project 5 Case Scenario Questions  What will happen to Somos Mujeres  What will happen to Susana  What will happen to Christine  Does this story feel familiar to you?  Why or Why Not?

Building Movement Project 6 The Crisis Data from the U.S. and Canadian studies  Boomers are leaving!  Who will take their place?

Building Movement Project 7 Generations at Work (U.S.)  Veterans of Change(prior to 1946)  Baby Boomers(1946 – 1964)  Generation X (1965 – 1979)  Millennial (1980 – 2000)

Building Movement Project 8 Baby Boomer+ Leaders Background  Proud of their generation  From Mission to Management  Settled in for Long Haul

Building Movement Project 9 Baby Boomer+ Leaders Future  Anxious about their future  Who am I  “What would I do?”

Building Movement Project 10 Baby Boomer+ Leaders New Generations  Commitment  Do they know enough?  Boomer knowledge

Building Movement Project 11 Newer Generation of Leaders  Commitment to Mission and Management  Professionalization  Expectations of organizations  Sector Agnostic

Building Movement Project 12 Next Generations’ Challenges  Work and Personal Life  Debt and Compensation  Leading organizations?  Recognition of Contributions

Building Movement Project 13 Race and Leadership in U.S.  People of Color more likely to want to be executive directors (Ready to Lead)

Building Movement Project 14 How we frame the “problem” leads us to different solutions

Building Movement Project 15 Frame #1 Older Leaders are Leaving Older leaders are retiring from nonprofit leadership positions. There are not enough people, especially younger leaders, to take their jobs.

Building Movement Project 16 Frame #1: Solutions Older Leaders are Leaving  Succession planning  Build the pipeline

Building Movement Project 17 Frame #2 No Room at the Top Baby Boom age leaders are not leaving.

Building Movement Project 18 Frame #2: Solutions No Room at the Top  Make it possible to leave  Share power and ideas

Building Movement Project 19 Frame #3 It’s the Position Younger leaders interested in social service work are not taking or staying in leadership roles

Building Movement Project 20 Frame #3: Solutions It’s the Position  Provide support for younger leaders  Rethink E.D. Position

Building Movement Project 21 Frame #4 Younger Leaders are Not Seen New leaders may look and act differently than current leaders

Building Movement Project 22 Frame #4: Solutions Younger Leaders are Not Seen  Recognize and develop younger leaders  Models of leadership

Building Movement Project 23 Frame #5 Another Organizational Form is Possible Organizations in the future may not look and operate like current organizations

Building Movement Project 24 Frame #5: Solutions Another Organizational Form is Possible  Look for and support different organizational forms and cultures  Allow for evolution of new structures

Building Movement Project 25 Recommendation #1  Identify and develop opportunities for older generations to continue their contributions  Identify and develop opportunities for younger leaders to advance in the field.

Building Movement Project 26 Recommendation #2  Create Collective Resources and Options for NGOs to Plan for the Future  Salaries, pension, health care

Building Movement Project 27 Recommendation #3  Promote Cross-Generational Dialogue and Learning to Facilitate Information Transfer and Share Experience  Encourage and teach mutual mentoring – learn from the past and prepare for the future.

Building Movement Project 28 Recommendation #4  Develop venues that race, culture, class, and location of NGO leadership can be expanded.