The Older Volunteer

Some of the reasons your organisation might like to consider involving older adults as volunteers are to: 

  • Widen and diversify the pool of volunteers 

  • Gain access to highly skilled individuals who have a wealth of life experiences, commitment and maturity 

  • Involve individuals who can offer flexibility, e.g. daytime availability 

  • Reflect and embrace the intergenerational aspects of their community and provide role models for youths 

  • Act as a model for other organisations in the community in terms of openness and inclusivity.

    Motivation for engagement and reasons to volunteer 

There are many reasons older people get involved in volunteering. One is the desire to help other people. When an older person sees a specific need in the community or is passionate about a particular cause, they are more likely to feel needed and get involved. Other reasons for volunteering might include satisfaction from seeing the results, a willingness to share professional experience and a wish to continue professional development, meet new people and make new friends. 

The following are suggestions on how you can keep older volunteers motivated: 

• Provide feedback. Regular reviews can provide information to your volunteers on the importance of their role and who they helped and how. 

• Clearly state your goals and how you work towards them. Older volunteers are likely to be interested in how their past experiences can benefit your work and why their help is needed.  

• Create a community of volunteers. Regular group meetings allow volunteers to discuss and give feedback about their experience of volunteering and serve as a way for them to get to know other volunteers. It is particularly relevant for roles that require volunteers to work in isolation. 

• Focus on skills. When meeting potential volunteers, make sure to find out about their skills and experience and let them know about opportunities for training 

. • Volunteer trials. Encourage older volunteers to try out activities on a trial basis to allow them to establish whether they will find the role fulfilling without the pressure of having to commit. 

Communicating effectively

When communicating with older potential volunteers , encourage them to talk about their past lives and experiences so that you can gauge their communication style - happy to chat, shy or reticent, hearing impaired etc . This will also enable you to acknowledge and show respect for their working lives. You may like to consider the following when communicating with older people: 

• There are words that will help you communicate in a more inclusive way. For example, consider using words like older generation, over 50s, independent, experienced, retiree, mentor, coach, etc. Make sure to ask your volunteers how they prefer to be addressed. 

• Avoid stereotyping people and do not assume that the older volunteer will only be attracted to the traditional roles, historically favoured by the retired. 

 It is also important to be mindful of the channels used when communicating. Many researchers suggest that people’s ability to use technology begins to decline considerably after the age of 55. At the same time, the number of older people using the internet is growing overall, and websites should be designed in a user-friendly way. Furthermore, it is crucial that you consider a variety of promotional and recruitment methods that will reach this generation.. 


Top Tips

Ways to recruit: Be aware that recruitment of volunteers cannot be reliant on the internet. Instead, use local newspapers and the radio. Word of mouth and informal meetings are good methods of recruitment, preferably with the offer of refreshment - conversations go much better with a tea or coffee. Encourage your existing volunteers to act as ambassadors in recruiting from their peer group. 

Places to recruit: Put notices in local shops, banks, offices, post offices, libraries, local health clinics, places of worship, homes for the elderly, day-care and resource centres, parish newsletters and contact active age/retirement groups.

Initial contact: Use informal meetings or one-to-one chats instead of interviews; a ‘registration of interest form’ instead of an application form may make the application seem less daunting. Do not overcomplicate application forms and present information in a clear, concise, jargon-free way.

 A ‘buddy system’: Allow a volunteer to be matched with another volunteer or mentor. Pairing friends may work well, as it may encourage people to get involved initially.

Keep it local: Local volunteering opportunities for older people will keep travel times and costs down. Reimbursement of expenses or the provision of community transport can be a strong lever for volunteer participation; alternatively, promote and facilitate carpooling as a viable alternative. Providing out-of-pocket expenses and reassuring volunteers that appropriate insurance cover is is in place across your organisation may be important tools for attracting and retaining volunteers. 

Suitable volunteering positions 

In conversation with the potential volunteer, the Volunteer Co-ordinator will be able to establish which opportunities will meet expectation and be a good match for skills and interests. The volunteer experience is all the more fulfilling when the volunteer “finds their own fit” as opposed to being assigned to tasks that may prove uncomfortable. However, attention should be paid to any health issues that might have a baring on the volunteer being able to participate in a particular role - reasonable adjustments notwithstanding.

Certain types of voluntary work tend to be popular among the older generation, for example - volunteering with health and social care related organisations. However, the retired, be they 50 or 90+, have the potential to make huge contributions to the rest of society, by transferring their professional and life skills into the voluntary sector. By marrying the skillsets, experience and interests of the older generation, voluntary organisations have the means to engage with those in their local community who are “time rich” as well as skilled and experienced.

Working conditions needed 

Volunteers’ potential limitations may need to be accommodated, such as health difficulties or mobility issues. By creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere, you will make it easier for volunteers to share their limitations, and it will allow you to work around them where possible. It is important that you explain the precise requirements of role (e.g. if there is a lot of standing or travelling involved, finishing hours etc.). Ensure that places of volunteering are easy to access, safe and well-lit, particularly if volunteers are finishing at a late hour.

Recruitment

It is vital that organisations consider older volunteer’s specific and individual interests, abilities and lifestyles during the recruitment process – otherwise organisations may struggle to attract and retain older applicants The older generation can bring time, knowledge and expertise to voluntary work, but they may find it difficult to find out about what is available locally. They may also not know the best way to enquire about volunteering roles. 

Due to increased life expectancy we are remaining active for longer and one contributary factor to healthier life in retirement is to find purpose beyond working age. The retired may have a lot of commitments, such as looking after their grandchildren, travelling or developing their hobbies but some of this age group may be happy to offer a regular commitment to a voluntary organisation. Others may be only interested in one-off projects or short, infrequent tasks. Your organisation will benefit hugely if it can demonstrate a flexible approach to volunteering. 

The bureaucracy involved in becoming a volunteer is identified as a particular barrier, causing anxiety and annoyance for people. Factors such as online registration, completing lengthy application forms, formal interviews that may be associated with an employment situation, or criminal record checks are barriers to volunteer recruitment. It is always a good idea to take the time to explain the rationale behind each of the recruitment stages. 

Scenario

Title: Involving Older People as Volunteers 

Background: A prospective volunteer did not use a mobile phone, had no interest in the use of internet or computers and had nothing to do with social media. He therefore could not access information from the charity via these methods.  

Volunteer Role: Community Car service Volunteer 

Volunteer Recruitment: The project co-ordinator worked with the volunteer and planned around his needs and requirements. Various means of communication and sharing information that worked perfectly with the volunteer were put in place.  

Support Provided to the Volunteer: The volunteer was given the option to pop into the office once a week to discuss his volunteering tasks whilst having tea and biscuits with the co-ordinator.  

His landline number was used as another means of relaying information to him should he not be able to make it to the office.  

Monthly newsletters were sent to the volunteer by post instead of having to read it on the Facebook page of the charity or via email. 

Impact:  The volunteer was enabled to take up the role he applied for due to the proactive and sensitive approach by the project co-ordinator.

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