Retirement for beginners: volunteering – a world of opportunity
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What is the course about?
You might, for instance, want to work abroad on a community project, tidy up a wood or tow path in your area, introduce speakers at an arts festival, become a youth mentor, read a thriller to a visually impaired person, do the publicity for a favourite charity, or run an oral history or literacy project.
We will learn how volunteering can provide purpose, structure, a sense of identity, belonging and involvement for the modern retiree. We will look at some of the reasons people volunteer and (because there appears to be such a wide choice) narrow down our search by selecting from different themes and areas of interest.
This is a face to face course.
What will we cover?
Where to look for your ideal voluntary job
How to find the most suitable match for your passions, skills and interests
Health benefits and other perks of volunteering
A look at some of the volunteering opportunities in London
A look at a few of the volunteering opportunities abroad
Gaining work experience through volunteering.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Reflect on a wider range of volunteering opportunities.
Identify the type of voluntary work which would suit you.
Name two places you intend to contact for further information.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
General level.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The tutor is a semi-retired BBC producer who will share her own volunteering experiences. Learners will be encouraged to share ideas and experiences in a supportive environment.
There will be a hand-out at the end with useful contacts.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Pen, paper, notebook.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Further retirement for beginners courses,.
A "semi-retired" BBC producer, Jenny has been a fan of adult education since she did her A level English Literature at the Working Men's College. She went on to work as a BBC producer at the Open University, where she created television and radio programmes for adult learners. Jenny now works part-time in broadcasting and adult education. She is also on a mission to find satisfying ways of filling her leisure time without spending too much money. She volunteers on the Information Desk at Somerset House, has conducted garden tours at Polesden Lacey and acted as events usher for the Royal Society of Literature. Jenny has also walked dogs for The Cinnamon Trust, visited the elderly and performed with amateur dramatic societies, choirs and worked in a community cafe. She says: "I see retirement as a chance to try things out, go down interesting paths without quite the same pressure to prove ourselves. The post-war generations are the first to experience the possibilities of a really fruitful 'Third Age'. Our only dilemma is which options to choose".
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
