How does my local community encourage senior participation in the community? Starting with the my local public and academic libraries' website and branching out to other city agencies' websites, I investigated any advertised programs, opportunities, and classes made specifically for older adults. Only two agencies, the Antioch Senior Center and the Antioch Recreation Department, list activities that are specifically for seniors. The other agencies listed have volunteer opportunities that would likely appeal to seniors, even though they are not the target audience.
While the Antioch Senior Center (ASC) provides a variety of activities and programs (including tap dance, computer classes, and driving courses), it could certainly use a better web presence. Its current location, a page on the City of Antioch's website, is out of date - the ASC Newsletter hasn't been uploaded since September 2011, and the ASC officers listed are current as of 2007. The only way one can find out about what the ASC offers is through the ad in Antioch's Fall 2012 Recreation Guide online, or by calling the center directly. A decent website with an updated newsletter, current calendar of activities, photos of past events, the weekly menu for the CoCo Cafe, and links to other city resources would help the ASC reach a broader audience, including seniors that prefer finding information online or information professionals that are seeking ASC information on behalf of a patron.
I have never seen advertisements for the ASC anywhere besides the city's quarterly recreation guide, so I am unsure if the center collaborates with any other organization in the city. Collaborating with other organizations would be a great way to not only improve upon the current offering of programs at the ASC, but it also would be a great advertising tool. Just off the top of my head, here are some of the local organizations that ASC could pair up with: Opportunity Junction, Kaiser, Sutter Delta Medical Center, Homeless Animal Lifeline Organization, Antioch Historical Society, Los Medanos College, Antioch Adult Education, and the Antioch and Prewett Branch Libraries.
Within the city of Antioch, CA:
Contra Costa County Library - Antioch Branch: There are no programs specifically for older adults listed on the Antioch Library's online event calendar at this time. However, there is a link to the Antioch Community Center, which offers classes for seniors through the city's recreation department and links to the Antioch Senior Citizens Club, which also has a full schedule of activities, classes, and programs. Volunteer opportunities are also available at the library and the senior center.
Antioch Historical Society: Part of the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, the historical society has several volunteer opportunities that would appeal to seniors looking for meaningful volunteer work. This would be an excellent opportunity for older individuals that are interested in promoting Antioch's history.
The Volunteer Center of the East Bay: a search for volunteer opportunities within both of Antioch's zip codes results in several volunteer jobs that might appeal to seniors.
Neighboring cities (within 5-10 miles of Antioch):
Contra Costa County Library - Oakley Branch: The closest event I could find is a NaNoWriMo Write-In, and the event description lists seniors as one of the target groups in addition to adults and teens.
Contra Costa County Library - Pittsburg Branch: No programs specifically geared toward seniors are offered at this time. There is a link to the City of Pittsburg's website, which has a page for the Pittsburg Senior Center - but links for important information, such as class schedules and center programs, do not work.
Los Medanos College Library (Pittsburg, CA): No senior programs or classes offered.
Educational opportunities within Contra Costa County:
Contra Costa County Library - Education Guide: One tab of this guide is dedicated to resources for adult learners, including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, East Bay, which is advertised as a learning environment for the 50+ crowd and offers classes at the Concord, CA campus of CSUEB.
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