Retirees as Volunteers--Your experience? (moving, community, retired, respect)
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Retirees, what do you do as a volunteer in your community?
I'm interested in hearing about all experiences (good and not so good aspects), especially from those who are volunteers in the schools (tutors, teacher aids, etc). What's it like for older folks volunteering with youth?
Funny you should ask .....this Saturday I'm attending a information/education meeting for prospective volunteers at my local animal shelter. And, today I filled out a few detailed forms for them. Your post was timely for me.
We have a model shelter in our town so there isn't very much euthanasia going on at it, but there is a lot of community outreach to try to get the dogs and cats adopted. That is what I hope to help with. The bonus being you get to rub furry bellies.
I retired a year ago and volunteer once a week (sometimes more) for a my local hospital foundation. I chose to do this because I felt I'd be comfortable in this setting (my career was hospital fundraising) and I knew I could be helpful. Most of my work is behind the scenes, but I do call donors to thank them, call event sponsors about their involvement with special events, and attend events to help with registration and raffle ticket sales. My schedule is flexible, I like the feeling of being helpful and I really enjoy not having to worry about anything when my shift is over!
Biggest Issue my Dad a retired engineer found, is many organizations don't 'value' the volunteer time. They don't have a good plan for what they want them to do, don't have the resources needed to the volunteer to do there job effectively. Things that should take 10 min if you were paying someone to do take 30 min, because they don't have the space ready, the item they will need are not ready, The tools (paper, calculators, computers etc.) available.....
My dad did find Working for AARP/TaxAids doing income taxes for Seniors & others. He also coaches a middle school robotics team, that is sponsored by his former employer. He love working with the Middle schooler 7&8 grades on there projects. His team went to the regionals 2 years ago, and was a few points from going to the nationals. (The national were in Atlanta that year, and he sort of suggested that his team would be staying at my house) Hmmm maybe its good they didn't win.....
I'm a big fan of libraries, so have become very involved with "Friends of the Library." We raise money for many of the events they sponsor, such as summer reading programs, a senior group that has a different speaker every month, programs for teens,etc.
We've done a ton of fund raising this year since our library is moving to a bigger facility, but they don't have the funding for all the new furniture, equipment, etc. that they need. We also plan to move the library with the help of a large group of volunteers to save the cost of professional movers. It's kept me really busy but is definitely a labor of love.
I wonder if the youth realize the unselfishness and contributions of our seniors in society today. I hope they do, but sometimes I think they are clueless.
Most school districts actively solicit and facilitate volunteer work. Of course there are hoops to jump through such as fingerprinting, but I think we all understand the necessity for that. There are different types of volunteer work that can be done, from licking envelopes to actually working with students.
The first day I stood before a new (to me) fifth grade class to read, I wasn't sure what to expect or how to begin. I began by saying, "Good afternoon, young people." Imagine my delight and astonishment when the class answered in unison, "Good afternoon, Mr. ......". The teacher had obviously prepared them well. It was a pleasure from that first moment.
Most school districts actively solicit and facilitate volunteer work. Of course there are hoops to jump through such as fingerprinting, but I think we all understand the necessity for that. There are different types of volunteer work that can be done, from licking envelopes to actually working with students.
The first day I stood before a new (to me) fifth grade class to read, I wasn't sure what to expect or how to begin. I began by saying, "Good afternoon, young people." Imagine my delight and astonishment when the class answered in unison, "Good afternoon, Mr. ......". The teacher had obviously prepared them well. It was a pleasure from that first moment.
This is an inspiration, as I'm considering volunteering to help kids with writing (that is/was my professional field)--maybe a writing group or club if they don't already have one. I'm looking at the falling literacy rates and test scores and the rising dropout rates and feel that as a volunteer this is where I have the most to offer.
I think what I'm concerned about is--will the kids be respectful (the "kids of today"), are the classrooms controllable (I would hope the teacher levels with me), and would the kids related to an "oldster" (if I prove not to be dull!).
Volunteering is often thought about with retirees but these kinds of questions (will I be accepted, etc) are perhaps what might keep some from going for it. In your work at the school have you found any challenges?
I trained our dog as a therapy dog and became certified. We volunteer at a school twice a week working with children who have reading problems. The program, Reading to Dogs, improves the child's ability to read and promotes self confidence. The program is also done occasionally at the local library.
We also visit veteran homes and nursing homes on occasion. The experience has been very rewarding.
I think what I'm concerned about is--will the kids be respectful (the "kids of today"), are the classrooms controllable (I would hope the teacher levels with me), and would the kids related to an "oldster" (if I prove not to be dull!).
Volunteering is often thought about with retirees but these kinds of questions (will I be accepted, etc) are perhaps what might keep some from going for it. In your work at the school have you found any challenges?
You raise some excellent questions. Whether the kids will be respectful and whether they will be controllable is going to vary from school district to school district, from school to school within a district, and from class to class within a school. So that is a question I cannot answer. I have been lucky, I think, in the situations I find myself in.
First, a volunteer is not likely to be allowed to take charge of an entire class without the teacher being present. So the adult who knows the particular students and (presumably) can control them will be there. Second, if it is a smaller group activity during lunch or after school, and if that activity is voluntary, then the only students present will have chosen to be there, and that makes an enormous difference. My chess club is like that; no one has to attend, and no one who attends has to come each time - it is just a lunch activity available to the entire middle school. In that situation, I have rarely had trouble.
I think one has to go into such things with the expectation that there may be bumps in the road. There can be no assurance of immediate success or immediate gratification.
In the school district with which I am involved, there are two classes of volunteers: those allowed to be alone with students and those not so allowed. I can be alone with students, but I don't remember (if I ever knew) what qualified me for that. It may be because I hold a California teaching credential.
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.....this Saturday I'm attending a information/education meeting for prospective volunteers at my local animal shelter. And, today I filled out a few detailed forms for them. Your post was timely for me. 
Schools
