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2002: Discovering What's Next® began as a pilot in the Newton Free Library designed to test the interest of older adults in transition support related to reinventing retirement and building vibrant lifestyles. 2005: DWN was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) and become a pioneer program with local and national impact. 2006: DWN selected and trained our first Transition Navigators® to serve as peer facilitators or guides to older adults in transition. 2007: DWN managed a competitive grant from Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) and developed a toolkit and workshop, Create Your Own Volunteer Experience, which we presented at MSA's Baby Boomer Plus statewide conference. 2009: DWN, in collaboration with the RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Intergenerational Studies at Lasell College, was awarded a grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation to develop our Transition to Encore Careers program, an innovative community-based initiative that uses peer facilitators, workshops and other services to aid adults 50+ in exploring work that combines personal meaning, social impact and continued income. 2010: DWN hired a part-time Executive Director and moved into new space at the Newton Cultural Center, Newton. We successfully conducted our Encore Careers Pilot Program, culminating with the Encore Careers Summit-Discovering Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, attended by 225 people from all over New England. Speakers included Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, Ellen Goodman, and economist, Barry Bluestone. We were awarded a second grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation to continue and expand our Transition to Encore Careers program. 2011: DWN solidified and expanded our Encore program with the Launching Your Encore series and offered a variety of career transition workshops with an emphasis on issues effecting older workers. We hosted Marc Freedman, Civic Ventures CEO and father of the encore movement, for the launch of his new book, “The Big Shift”. We held our second annual Encore Summit with Liz Walker, award-winning television journalist, documentary film producer, entrepreneur and humanitarian, as keynote speaker. She inspired over 160 participants to engage in encore work (paid or non paid) that makes a difference. We were awarded our third grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation in support of our Encore program. |
