Traditionally, the over 50s are associated with volunteering but this isn’t just something that you should consider only when you have completely ‘retired’ and no longer want or need to undertake any paid work. Volunteering can be a great way of learning new skills, and boosting your confidence and your network of contacts, as this article explains.

Whether you’ve been out of the workplace for some time and are trying to get back, or you have a job but are seeking a change of direction, or indeed you have ceased paid work entirely, volunteering can be a great way of maintaining and increasing your involvement in mainstream society.

Not only can it be a route to actively learning or updating your skills, it can also open the door to improved confidence, and can help you develop some interesting and potentially beneficial new relationships.

For example you may be finding difficulty getting a job (perhaps because of issues which you perceive are related to your age) but you’re sure to find that organisations seeking volunteers will find you extremely attractive.

That’s because older people – who these days are still very fit and active, mentally and physically – have distinct advantages. For example, they:

• Have experienced life over many years and in many different arenas, enabling them to develop informed opinions on many different subjects.
• Have built up knowledge, skills and insights through work, through family relationships and through social interests.
• Tend to be hard-working, meticulous and conscientious
• Have the presence, and can gain the respect that comes with maturity and often tend, therefore, to be good leaders

 A win-win situation

Many unpaid posts are just as diverse, challenging and demanding as paid jobs, so can provide you with a bank of solid, impressive, relevant experience on which to base your applications for ‘proper’ employment – a real plus if you feel your CV is otherwise sadly lacking.

Regardless of where you live, your gender, education level, or any other variable, the range of opportunities for volunteering is endless.

It only needs a little imagination and effort on your part together with a commitment to devote a regular amount of time in the future. In relation to the latter, it helps if you have a real interest and personal commitment to the activity you’re undertaking, so you need to think fairly hard at the outset about the types of thing you’re prepared to do (or not do), are capable of doing, and you feel have real benefits both for others and yourself.