>> RSVP. The first time I saw those letters,
it reminded me of an invitation.
Come to think of it, I wasn't so far off.
RSVP is a kind of invitation
to join almost half a million older Americans in service.
Hi, I'm Joan Thompson.
I'm an RSVP volunteer and I'm here
to show you a few real life examples
of who we are and what we do.
When I decided to work only part time, I wanted to reach out
and give back to my community and through RSVP,
I found all kinds of projects that really matter to me
and fit my schedule and talk about results,
RSVP volunteers really get things done especially
when it comes to the needs of children in our communities.
Take a look for yourself.
[ Music ]
>> I decided to give a little of my time,
give a little of my talent back--
>> [Inaudible] to the White House,
I'm a speak to Mr. Lincoln and thank him
for what he's done for my people.
>> Life hasn't been too bad to me and I feel
like I owe the world a little something.
>> We became involved to explore the idea of taking a group
of older adults and bringing them into a school setting,
really creating an intensive critical mass
of volunteers in the service.
>> Oh, this is such a beautiful job.
>> So we targeted breeding and literacy skills
and we've seen an incredible increase in their--
their achievement over a few short months.
>> I retired formally from my job with the Department of Labor
and I do consultants work.
I've been able to arrange one day a week
to make a contribution by coming
down here enjoying myself with the children.
>> The initial scores at the beginning of the year
with these at-risk children were far below grade level.
And after about three and a half months into the program,
we saw an 81 percent increase in letter
and sound recognition among the children.
They were reading better, they seem to be interested
in learning how to read, which is a really important part
of reading, is wanting to learn how to read.
>> We have a whirl of experience.
We have wisdom.
We've been over the road that you are traveling over
and we pass it on to the younger generation.
>> If it's only one child that I can impact
with a positive influence, it's satisfaction
to me as an RSVP volunteer.
>> [Inaudible] you stop--
>> And he likes to read, likes to learn, right Brandon?
>> So much, I can't believe it.
>> You know, our dream is that every school
around the country will have a team of older adults
from the community working with the children.
It's wonderful to come in to school and see
that the children running up to the volunteer
and showing them what they've done in the class from the score
or that they can read a new book that they've been struggling
with and to see that energy there and the smile
on their face is an incredible thing to say.
Give me the usual high five.
>> What I find so amazing about RSVP is the variety.
Through existing programs, we're teaching people how
to surf the net, rebuilding homes for the needy,
even treating patients.
And by the way, I'm talking about what's happening
in just one community.
>> Well [inaudible] is a very unusual town.
It's a very rural community, agriculturally based.
It has brought in many migrant workers.
I'm amazed at the strength of character that people have
to deal with the issues.
I mean life is 10 times harder than we would ever know even
when we think we're struggling.
>> We build houses and we build from [inaudible] scratch
from the pad and we build up the walls and do the whole thing
and we're helping the people
that cannot afford a house any the other way.
>> When potential volunteers come in to the RSVP program,
they sometimes come with preconceived ideas
of what a volunteer is, what a volunteer has to do
or what a volunteer can do in the community.
And through our program, we sit one on one with the volunteer,
talk about their needs and their interests, the timeframe
that they have to give back to the community
and then we also discuss the things that we might think
that they're interested in.
We always give our volunteers several different opportunities.
>> Do some good for people, other people that are not able
to do the work and have work done for them.
>> I think it's an advantage to have RSVP volunteers
because they understand difficulty and I believe
that that makes them stronger volunteers.
It also is appealing to people because they work one on one
with the recipients of the program.
So they get to benefit in terms of getting to know our families
and understand a little bit about their struggles
and how they're helping them.
>> The reason I became an RSVP member was because I had time
in my hands and I enjoy working with my hands
and also with my mind.
And when they say, "When are you going to quit?"
And I'm going to say, "When I'm unable
to work, that's when I quit."
I enjoy it.
>> We're finding that 65 percent
of our senior users are using the internet
for email communication.
We know that the highest gross weight is women
over 50 getting on to the internet.
In the old days, people always thought that computers
and everything were just for young people.
But what we're finding is that search engines
and Boolean strategies and all the techniques that you need
to search the web are very well-suited for people
with a few more senior years behind them.
>> My principal job is to man the help desk in the office
and rely on walk-ins to come up and I register them
for the internet and provide them with the necessary software
and instructions-- www and this will put you
on the World Wide Web.
>> They're always whining sometimes about not being able
to get to the net and they're too old to be learning all this
and their grandchildren are--
you know, putting pressure on them to learn it.
>> I have a problem too.
>> And I love to be able to see when they get to that window
and they look through the window and there's two
or three other seniors in there ready to help them walk them
through and it makes them feel so much better to be able
to have somebody of your own peer group
who has learned everything that you had to learn and go through.
>> You'd not only learn a lot but you're gonna feel
like that you've actually accomplished something
in a large degree.
>> First [inaudible] you better put a four plus
on the [inaudible].
>> I guess there are two main reasons I volunteer
at this clinic, one is
to pay back the system that's been very good to me
and another is I like to be busy and I
like to fish but not all the time.
The patients here are-- you know, low-income senior citizens
and they don't have money, they don't have medicare,
they don't have insurance and may need help.
It's really a great thing.
It may seem like a drop in the bucket but you know,
you gotta start somewhere, you know.
>> I practiced medicine for many years and it's an opportunity
to continue doing the things
of my vocation when-- it's just enjoyable.
>> Our RSVP volunteers choose things
that really can make a difference, make an impact
on what's happening in our community
and make better lives for people.
>> I had a very fortunate life and it's nice to be able
to help somebody that hasn't been that lucky.
>> Hey, I'm the one that's grateful
and I'm having fun doing those.
I'm probably getting more out of this than you are.
>> Now, if we're getting all that done in just one community,
imagine the potential nationwide.
There are millions of older people who would serve
if given the right opportunity.
RSVP is that opportunity.
Just ask the sheriff's department
at Collier County, Florida.
[ Music ]
>> I got really interested in working
with the sheriff's office because my son who was 37
at the time was shot to death in Philadelphia.
When they caught the perpetrator,
they found out that he had been--
he'd already killed three people and he was walking the street
because the paperwork was not done properly
and he had never been able to be convicted.
>> I remember the first time I went to RSVP about 11 years ago,
there's this huge map on the wall
which listed all the various activities, I said "I want
that one" and I've been here every since.
Great place.
>> Well, we're very appreciative of the work
that our volunteers do for the agency
and people at Collier County.
>> This is volunteer deputy Tony [inaudible]
>> Good morning.
>> We're permitted to take those law enforcement officers
and return them to the street
where they belong, enforcing the laws.
>> I am involved in callbacks quality control.
>> You and I, we can then make contact with them and ask them
to bring it up to code before the season starts.
>> And assisting officers any way
that they feel I might be able to help,
I will be available for them.
>> It frees the detectives and the police to get out here
and do their job a little quicker.
That's why the RSVP volunteers are so important.
>> A good example is our fingerprint technicians.
They are currently rolling prints and criminal history.
We would be spending many tax dollars
if we weren't using our civilian volunteers to roll the prints.
We have highly technically trained volunteers who assist us
in our law enforcement work.
>> Nobody protects the community better
than people that live there.
The community is really the--
say the eyes and the ears of law enforcement.
>> The community is a part of law enforcement,
not apart from it because it's your community.
>> Last year, we saved the Collier County community
186,000 dollars.
In our 11-year existence, we've saved the county
over a million dollars in taxpayers' money.
That's a lot of money.
>> RSVP truly is a wise investment.
It's an invitation to give something back
and to keep growing and learning.
I hope to see you around.
[ Music ]
>> RSVP volunteers bring a wide range
of experience to our program.
They bring leadership skills, they bring diversification
through the things that they've done
in their life before they've retired and they can bring
in their skills and share them
with what's needed in our community.
Our RSVP volunteers are really getting things done.
[ Music ]