Morally obliged to volunteer if retired?

[notnownorma]

Just that, really. If one has no grandchildren to care for, is one morally obliged to give something back to the community if no longer working and in good health? If so, how much time is "enough"?

Inspired by a conversation I recently had with someone thinking of retiring soon.

No of course not but I’d be bored out of my mind if I didn’t!

I currently work FT, am a LP and raise a disabled DS. I volunteer for sporting his sport as it requires and relies on parental volunteers.

I would like to think when I retire I'll continue volunteering for something in education (my sector) or his sports body.

But I'm pretty sure by the time it comes around I'll be on my knees knackered and need to recover.

Well for at at least a few months - I get bored very easily

No moral obligation at all. I retired early from a 35 year career in a demanding & stressful public sector career. I did my bit for the community then. I have done 10 years as a Samaritan, but that was when I was working. Since retiring I have just loved life, done my grandchildren support and that's it. Have zero guilt.

Maybe the people so resistant to contributing to society when they are able and have time will wonder why they feel left behind 20 years later... The value of volunteering also benefits the volunteer - building community links and developing interests. Perhaps one day they will bemoan the lack of volunteers reading to the blind or collecting shopping for the bed bound, picking litter in the neighbourhood, volunteer first aiders or helping at cubs...

Maybe the people so resistant to contributing to society when they are able and have time will wonder why they feel left behind 20 years later

Perhaps many of us have already positively contributed to society and are not leaving it till retirement.
I mean like I positively contributed even though I am not even allowed to vote here. Pretty sure that gets me some societal points!😁

No, what an odd point of view.

Well of course giving back make sense when someone used the charities and benefitted from them. Fully

I have used a lot of charity services... mental health ones. Yet, I can't volunteer for them due to my mental health.

Bar exceptions then

I completely agree that some volunteer roles are filling gaps that should be paid for.

There are currently plans for St John’s Ambulance volunteers to vaccinate for flu and Covid boosters, another example of how the NHS is starved of funds.

Yep, a PP mention the blood bikes... that should not be volunteer run. Same with the air ambulance, and also hospices.

The problem is pensioners on final salary schemes retiring in their 50s then just enjoying life at our expense, they're the ones who ought to be made to do unpaid work.

How can people on final salary schemes be enjoying life at YOUR expense?
They will have been paying tax and NI for decades, subsiding what you haven't yet paid for

Still don't understand what it is people are supposed to pay back

I don't think there is any "should" about volunteering, but surely it isn't difficult to understand that some people think -

'The Hospice gave my Mum such wonderful care, I'd like to contribute my time to make sure it is there for someone else in the future'
or
'My girls have got so much out of going to Guides and Rangers, therefore It only seems right I take on this treasurer role they need someone to do'
or
'I'd have given up breast feeding in that 2nd week if it hadn't been for the support of the breastfeeding volunteer. Once I 'mastered it', I am so glad they were able to help me get through that difficult period, I'd like to be able to do the same for someone else'
etc
etc
etc

These no obligation as such, but I personally believe it would be "nice if you did". Plus it would give some structure to your week.

I’ve had structure to my week just about all my life. I’d like something different now. But thanks for the concern.

Volunteers have been doing Covid vaccinations for well over a year.

@Kite22 yes we have established now that "giving back to society" means giving back where people benefited if they can

Why on earth should someone who has retired on a final salary pension ‘owe’ anything! I pay £400 per month to my pension and by the time I get it at 60 will have worked in the same profession for 40 years! Why on earth would i ’owe’ anything!

I've always volunteered and will continue to do so as long as I am able to. For selfish reasons as well, I get a lot out of it. I always liked Eriksons Psychosocial stages (not totally but it made sense to me. The 7th stage is Generativity vs. Stagnation (Age 40 - 65)

"We give back to society through raising our children, being productive at work, and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. Through generativity we develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture.

Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.

By failing to find a way to contribute, we become stagnant and feel unproductive. These individuals may feel disconnected or uninvolved with their community and with society as a whole. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of care."

From this webpage

www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

But I wouldn't expect anyone else to volunteer if they didn't see personal benefit to it, a lot of people do a lot for their families as well and that is important.

@Ponoka7 I think we've been talking at cross purposes. I was referring to my post in reply to a PP who talked about how money had come about and you're obviously referring to something else. Can't remember any mention of islands/slaves/statues previously....sorry 😁

There are some charities that are as much about creating benefit for the volunteers as the outcome - litter picking gives a huge sense of self value, helping create a community garden, helping at an animal shelter... If you want to have a go, Google local opportunities that could work for you! These opportunities can be life changing - good luck!

Or just a general understanding of how volunteers enrich communities and wanting to play their part.

You don't need to at all

However I think it's a good idea to do something part time at least to start with for your own mental health - going from working fulltime to nothing is a big shock

This!!!

Thank you. I am fine with offenders being sentenced to community service, which they are obliged to do.
That should never be for anyone else.

I think you’ll find that the majority of volunteers are pensioners, @notnownorma

https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/uk-civil-society-almanac-2023/volunteering/what-are-the-demographics-of-volunteers/#:~:text=in%202020%2F21.-,By%20age%20groups,at%20least%20once%20a%20year.

No moral requirement and we have grandchildren. We both volunteer (retired) mainly to have something that gets us out. We go different days so we have time apart and something to talk about.