"It's like a job. You have goals. You see results" -Yuriy, Experience Corps Member

You can download a PDF version of our Fact Sheet by clicking here »

Experience Corps, an award-winning national program, engages people over 55 in meeting their communities' greatest challenges. Today, in 20 cities across the country, 2,000 Experience Corps members tutor and mentor elementary school students, help teachers in the classroom, and lead after-school enrichment activities. Independent research shows that Experience Corps boosts student academic performance, helps schools and youth-serving organizations become more successful, and enhances the well-being of the older adults in the process.

Started in 1995 as a pilot project in five cities, Experience Corps had its beginnings in a 1988 concept paper by John Gardner, former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and founder of Common Cause.

Annapolis	Baltimore
Boston	Cleveland
Evansville	Grand Rapids
Greater New Haven	Marin County
Mesa	Minneapolis
New York City	Oakland
Philadelphia	Port Arthur
Portland	San Francisco
St. Paul	Tempe
Tucson	Washington, DC

There are many wonderful programs, both locally and nationally, that involve older adults in helping to meet community needs. Experience Corps is a distinct model and approach that is defined by these six elements:

• Focus on outcomes
• High member commitment
• Rigorous member training
• Team-based approach
• Critical mass of members
• Leadership development

Experience Corps makes a significant impact on students, schools, community organizations and members.

• Higher test scores: According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, third graders working with Experience Corps members scored significantly higher on the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program than children in the control schools. (link to JHU research)
• Self-confidence: Teachers report that students who work with Experience Corps members gain in self-confidence and make significant progress in reading and academic achievement. (link to JHU)
• Committed, caring adults: Experience Corps members provide a consistent adult presence for children, boosting their success inside and outside of the classroom. Research tells us that children need ongoing, secure relationships with adults in their families, schools and communities. LINK TO:

• Classroom Behavior: In schools with Experience Corps, referrals to the principal for classroom misbehavior decreased by half; referrals in the other schools remained about the same. (link to JHU research)
• Learning Environment: Research from the Center for American Progress finds that Experience Corps makes "a significant difference building a positive environment for learning, help students achieve," and serve as "a cost effective way to improve the quality of education and supplement overworked teachers." (link to CAP release on our site)
• Teachers and Principals: Educators report high satisfaction with the Experience Corps program. Three out of four teachers report dramatic improvements in student behavior, readiness to learn and respect for older adults. More >>

• Health and well-being: Experience Corps members show significant increases in cognitive ability, physical activity, and strength compared to a control group (link to JHU)
• Social connections: Experience Corps members report social gains, including a significant decrease in time spent watching TV and a significant increase in the number of people they feel they could turn to for help. (link to JHU).

And, Experience Corps makes communities stronger. As Robert Putnam, Harvard professor and author of Bowling Alone and Better Together, says, "Experience Corps illustrates the extraordinary power and subtlety of social networks to enable people to improve their lives."

Experience Corps
2120 L Street, NW, Suite 610
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-478-6190
Fax: 202-478-6162
www.experiencecorps.org
info@experiencecorps.org