{"id":13267,"date":"2018-02-05T07:00:54","date_gmt":"2018-02-05T13:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=13267"},"modified":"2018-02-05T13:04:52","modified_gmt":"2018-02-05T19:04:52","slug":"volunteer-work-for-retirees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2018\/02\/volunteer-work-for-retirees\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Great Types of Volunteer Work for Retirees"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 Great Types of Volunteer Work for Retirees<\/h1>\n

You finally reached the age where you can afford to retire. You\u2019ve waited so many years to have the kind of free time that comes with retirement. But now that you have this time, what will you do with it?\"10<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re struggling to figure out fun and meaningful ways to fill your days during retirement, a good option to consider is volunteering. Volunteer work gives you a chance to give back to your community and it provides opportunities to meet new people and learn new things.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of different types of volunteer work out there. If you could use some help figuring out what route to take, here are\u00a010 types of volunteer work that are good for retirees:<\/p>\n

1. Become a Meals on Wheels driver.<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re comfortable\u00a0and safe driving, then you can help out other seniors by volunteering with Meals on Wheels<\/a>. Meals on Wheels drivers perform an important service: making sure that people who would otherwise struggle to get enough company and food have the accessibility to both. This type of volunteer work enables you to make new connections and know you\u2019re fulfilling a real need.<\/p>\n

2. Become a mentor.<\/h3>\n

While age brings its share of difficulties, one of the best things about getting older is being able to recognize all that you\u2019ve learned over the years. If you like the idea of sharing some of that knowledge with someone younger, then mentorship is a good way to do that. Look into programs like Big Brothers and Big Sisters<\/a> or The National Mentoring Partnership<\/a> that will help match you up with young people in need of mentors.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d prefer to do mentoring for adults in your industry who may benefit from professional guidance, look into professional organizations in your area. Many will have some sort of mentoring program or will be able to put you in touch with young professionals who\u2019d appreciate your sound advice.<\/p>\n

3. Become a museum docent.<\/h3>\n

Many museums rely on volunteer docents to help visitors to the exhibits get more out of their experience there. Being a docent offers you the opportunity to learn all about a new subject and impart valuable information to others. If that\u2019s the kind of thing that sounds\u00a0great to you, then this type of volunteer work is likely to be a\u00a0good fit.<\/p>\n

If you already have a favorite museum nearby, then start there. Check the website to see what sort of volunteer opportunities they have, or call them up and ask if they have a volunteer program for docents. If you don\u2019t know yet what museums are in your area, do a Google search to see what comes up. Once you\u2019ve identified your options, you get to do some fun research: go visit any museum that looks interesting to you, so you can figure out if it\u2019s a good one to volunteer with. Once you find one you like, ask them about what volunteer positions they have.<\/p>\n

4. Foster animals.<\/h3>\n

A big need animal shelters have is temporary homes for their animals while they look for the right permanent homes for them. If you\u2019re able to take cats or dogs in (even if it\u2019s just one at a time), you\u2019ll be helping them make their resources go further and improve the animals\u2019 lives in the meantime.<\/p>\n

If you know you love animals and are willing to put the effort and time in to take good care of them, then check with your local shelter about becoming a foster owner for their animals.<\/p>\n

5. Host an exchange student.<\/h3>\n

Do you miss having someone young around the house? You can host an exchange student in your home. Student exchange programs give you a chance to meet someone new and potentially forge a valuable lifelong relationship with them. You can learn about their culture while you help them learn about yours.<\/p>\n

It involves some work and you have to be willing to put in the effort to help take care of them and teach them the culture, but if that sounds like a great experience to you, it can be an extremely awarding one. There are a few websites you can check to look for students planning to come to your area that need a home:<\/p>\n