Retirement is not an excuse to be useless: Doug Adams from UK, volunteer at 77

Doug Adams is a 77 years old man. In addition to working three days a week , it runs a group for people who , like him , are hard of hearing. He was also a volunteer with RSVP ( CSV ​​program for retired and older ) and honorary treasurer of his local Coeliac Society . Adams is a volunteer portfolio and, according to recent research by the Royal Voluntary Service ( RVS ) , more than 2,250,000 of senior volunteers who have multiple roles other 11% is held three roles while 6 % are held four or more .

Older people are the cornerstone of a large part of volunteering is happening across the UK and this number looks set to grow further . It is estimated the number of people aged 65 and over will increase by 61 % over the next 10 years , making the UK home to 13 million people over. However , with older people so willing to share their time between several different organizations and other commitments , this could mean charities to work harder in order to offer appropriate volunteer experiences .

" Older people are masters at multi-tasking . Juggling They have raised families and successful careers , " said Barbara Locke , head of Social Action and Volunteering (Wales ) and chairman of the advisory group CSV - RSVP .

He said not ' older ' in one homogeneous group , but some behaviors characteristic , as they tend to be part of a charity event due to life , such as illness or bereavement , which were removed to a particular cause - and that men and women tend to revert to stereotyping when choosing how to participate .

" Generally , women are attracted to caring roles , while men tend to look for jobs in community transport or sports clubs , " he said.

When looking at what influences older person 's decision to volunteer , RVS found that 39 % did so because members of their family volunteers . Word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising , something CSV seek formal repetition in marketing , such as press releases that focus on local case studies , Locke said .

However , there are other aspects to volunteer that also influence participation , as flexibility . Mike Locke , head of development NCVO volunteering : " Older people do not just sit around waiting to be useful They may spend a lot of time caring for grandchildren , or those with more money to spending might be looking to travel or developed . their interests . "

It suggests charities looking to develop a range of opportunities , some require regular participation at certain times , which includes other one-off projects and complete other tasks that require short , infrequent.

" It is very important for the organization and the volunteer to have a clear idea about the time commitment . We know that one of the concerns people is that they want to make a few then be drawn into and ultimately do more than they had wanted to start , " he adds .

RVS volunteers found that 15 % of older respondents are keen to continue to learn and therefore has chosen roles where they learn new skills . In the same way CSV 've found like to maximize their professional experience .

"People over 70 are being modest about what they can and can not do . Charities should be willing to invest time in finding out what their skills might be , " said Locke . " For older people, it's not all about their CV or where it might take them , it's about giving back . They really need to get feedback about the difference they make . "

However, as important as it may be to offer flexibility and skill sharing , there are two other crucial factor that charities should not ignore : the desire to be helpful and to make a difference .

As Adams says : "I do not do it to be thanked by the enjoyment I get out of doing something that is worthwhile and useful to others enough to get satisfaction out of it."