In retirement, many people find they have more time on their hands and miss the stimulation, sense of purpose and social interaction that full-time work provides. If this sounds like you, why not give volunteering a try?

Through volunteering, you can give back to the local community while sharing or building your skills and making new friends. Volunteering is a great way to stay connected to what’s important to you or even try something new. Who knows, you might even find you have an interest you could build into a second career.

Volunteering opportunities

There are a range of volunteering opportunities available in metro and regional areas, so no matter what you’re interested in, you should be able to find an opportunity to suit you.

If you’re not sure how you can help, ask yourself:

• What am I interested in?
• What personal and professional skills can I offer?
• How could my skills help a community organisation?
• How much time could I afford to give each week or month?
• What do I want to get out of volunteering?

Once you have a clearer picture of what you want and what you can offer, it’s time to choose a role.

You could assist the elderly, help children learn to read, maintain buildings and facilities or even sit on the board of directors for an association. There really are opportunities for everyone.

Find an opportunity near you

State government associations

Each State Government provides a range of resources for local volunteers. You can browse opportunities, read testimonials, find training materials, and contact the association in your state. For New South Wales, you can visit volunteering.nsw.gov.au.

Seek

The job search site Seek also offers a dedicated volunteering portal at volunteer.com.au.