Whatever kind of work we think will suit us in retirement, there
will almost certainly be an opening for us in the
voluntary sector.Having thought about the type of voluntary
work that we want and the type of lifestyle that we want in
retirement (click on the link to Guide to Voluntary Work for
more information on this) we can then decide what sort of
position to look for. For example, we might want:
- a sedentary job that requires you to sit behind a
computer for most of the time
- to do an administrative job such as book-keeping
- to serve in a local charity shop
- to drive people to the shops, the doctor or the hospital
under the Good Neighbours Scheme
- to provide advice and practical help based on our
professional skills
- to fill an executive role
- deliver things to people, which will entail driving
- to help in the canteen at your local hospital
- to build dry stone walls or oak barns
- to clear ponds and ditches in your area
- to thin woodland
- to restore old buildings
- to help with a steam railway
Whatever it is that we think we would like to do, there
will be a vacancy somewhere in the voluntary sector. It may not
be immediately available, but our ideal position is there
somewhere and, given a bit of patience and persistence, we will
get it in the end.
It may be that we want to give something back to our local
community or to a club to which we have belonged over the
years. So there is the option of becoming a parish councillor, a
school governor or a lay member of the local NHS Trust, for
example.
We could become the chair of your local tennis club or
secretary of the bowls club. Having a position on the committee
of a club of some sort is an excellent way of giving something
back, staying involved, keeping the brain active and maintaining
social contact. All of these things are very important in
retirement.
 Some
positions need training and we need to have a degree of
dedication to fill these roles. For example,
the Samaritans is an excellent way of helping people but the
work can be draining and the shift work not to everyone's taste.
However, what a fantastic thing to do in retirement and we'll
have the satisfaction of knowing we're changing people's lives!
Similarly, the
Citizens Advice Bureau is an excellent and very worthwhile
organisation to work for and, depending on the role we want, we will need some training for it.
Maybe an easier way to help people is through one of the
organisations that help people in a somewhat less dramatic way.
The Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen and Families Association
(SSAFA)
is a good example. We can work for them for as little as four
or five hours a week in a variety of roles.
There are some organisations for whom we can do voluntary work
that we wouldn't necessarily think of. For example, there is a
range of voluntary roles in the
National Trust.
We could, for example, be a guide, showing people round one of
their properties, or we could help with the maintenance of the
grounds. One way of thinking about voluntary work is to consider
what we would like to do and then list all the organisations
whom we think might be able to provide that type of voluntary
work.
Many people do voluntary work through their church. The type of
roles that are available will, to a certain extent, depend on
the type of location of the church - country or inner city, and
the particular needs of the parishioners. However, there are
some roles that are constant throughout churches and these are
concerned with, amongst other things, the maintenance and
appearance of the church.
For more information on where to look for voluntary work, click
on the link in the box to Where to Look for It. Be sure to read
the rest of the Guide, too, to get as much information on
voluntary work.
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