Getting Started!
Intergenerational Garden in Age-Friendly Saco
Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.
Arthur Ashe
Finding Your Way...
Getting started with your lifelong community initiative takes two key ingredients: people and community. You'll need a small group of dedicated people who bring vision and commitment to making the place where you live more livable for all. You'll also need a community that prides itself on being a great place to live, work, and play. No matter where you start, the key to success is individual and community support for changes that make your town even better place to live.
Each community is unique - there's no one-size-fits-all approach to getting started.
Some are all volunteer, grassroots initiatives
Some are led by town or city staff members with some volunteer involvement
Some are facilitated by community-based organizations
Some take a regional approach
But never fear! On this website, you'll find many examples to adapt and implement, as you begin identifying the interests, assets, and potential partners.
Note: Below, and throughout our site, underlined text indicates a live link.
Learn more about the community features that have the largest impacts on well-being and increased livability for people of all ages.
Effective community organizing requires a strong, inclusive leadership team that works together to turn ideas and interests into reality.
Defining your vision, mission, and values helps your team focus on what's important, while giving others an understanding of your work.
For a Bit of Inspiration.....
Our 2023 Annual Lifelong Maine Conference, Building Strong Foundations for Future Growth covered topics to help you along your journey, including:
Organizing for Sustainability
Recruiting, Managing, and Retaining Volunteers
Creative Placemaking
Stronger Together: Developing a Regional Approach
Publicity: Graphic Design 101
Working with Your Municipality
Starting a Volunteer Transportation Program
Highlights and resources from the conference are available here.
Throughout the day, we heard about the success of the Year Four, Lifelong Fellows Program and were treated to brief poster presentations about the work that host communities accomplished.