pro bono

There is a bit of tension in the nonprofit sector. Boomers are concerned about what they see as a crisis of leadership - they've invested years in their causes, and are not entirely comfortable stepping out of the way and leaving a void too large for the next generation to fill. At the same time, I spent some time this week talking to a group of Millennials at Council on Foundations and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy's preconference session, and a recurring theme was the need for mentoring and lack of opportunities to engage with seasoned leaders in our sector and receive help charting our own careers in the business of changing the world.

At the risk of sounding like a young and entitled Millennial, I would say that many of us are eager to lead, and while we do lack many of the experiences of our predecessors, we also have valuable technology and social media skills, a different leadership style, which can be more inclusive and draw a new group of people who have been feeling jaded or disengaged, and an insistence on a double-bottom line – all of which are beginning to change the ways we support the causes we care about.

I wonder if there isn't a solution to these issues in creating intergenerational skilled volunteering programs. Especially with the economic crisis, nonprofits will need to rely more on pro bono work - not just for legal services, but for fundraising, marketing, HR programs, websites and more. In this, let's face it, slightly depressing job market Millennials like myself are eager to gain valuable experiences to beef up our resumes and find opportunities to establish ourselves as leaders. And most Boomers will admit that while they have mastered many things, understanding why someone might poke them on facebook, isn't one of them.

You might be thinking this is obvious, and I know I’m not the only person to ever suggest intergenerational learning – but my peers and I are still having trouble finding access to these opportunities. I attended a panel on corporate volunteering at COF, I didn’t hear any examples of programs which intentionally brought Millennials and Boomers together where they could give back and learn from each other. A few people mentioned the added benefit of being able to connect with senior leadership or potential mentors that they would otherwise not have a chance to interact with, but it seemed largely anecdotal and left to chance. While they might take increased coordination at first, I would love to see Millennials and Boomers learning from each other - while helping a cause they're passionate about. Are there good models that I’m missing? Why don’t we see more of this?