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.

Give " back" to the community? Frankly, I feel my "community" has given me bugger all......

Undoubtedly someone can tell me that they have but I can't see it so give " back" means nothing.

Zombie 🧟‍♀️ thread

@Dotjones , debt?

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.

Don't understand how it's at 'your expense' - did you pay their workplace pension contributions??

This is part of the problem. There is an idea that you need to have benefited previously rather than setting up things so that others feel invested in their community and that it benefits everyone concerned.

The thought process starts off with a negative rather than having the goal to change that.

Old thread pinged up again...

If a person wanted to that's fine, but, it does rather remind me of when my youngest DC started school full time.
Being as I worked PT then the amount of people that used to say "owww now they're both at school full time you'll have loads of spare time on your hands"

Just because you've retired or your DC are no longer at home during set hours it doesn't necessarily mean you've suddenly got loads of spare time on your hands, all it means is you've got a bit of extra time to do all the things that you need/want to do in the day without interruptions from colleagues/kids.

I have recently retired, and do feel as though I would like to do some sort of volunteering. However, I was just thinking about it this morning. I spent nearly 50 years being mostly bored silly working, I'm damned if I'm going to carry on being bored now. If I can find something I could be passionate about then yes, I will volunteer, but I'm not going to do something I don't want to do.

My mum lives in a rural village and can't drive. She volunteers in a community cafe in the village once a week and also does some cleaning in the village church.

MIL hasn't worked for a couple of decades and doesn't do any voluntary work. No moral obligation for her to do anything, of course, but I think it might be good for her.

I did a lot of volunteering as a teen and young adult so think I've already fulfilled any imaginary quota of 'voluntary' work!

I think it's more the "give back" that implies a degree of entitlement which irritates me more than anything else.
I can see the benefits of volunteering for both the recipients and the givers.

That the government continue to increase the state pension age means that quite a large segment of the population will still be in the workplace which may be an issue.

That was just as an aside.

Dotjones So when we have all been working hard and paying taxes we are to continue ? Still in my 50s , no plans ! I have done lots of voluntary work and feel I have "done my bit" With a family ,and P.T work ,!st job 18! How about all these on benefits then!

All of my real jobs have been "giving back" type jobs - largely to ungrateful members of the public. I've been a sole parent whilst working more than full time.

I'm done.

Zombie thread but definitely worth a restart. I say these things as someone who is a serial volunteer btw!

If retired people have a duty to volunteer ie give their time for free then what about people who don't work but can or who choose to work the minimum and claim benefits? Surely they should be working more? Or perhaps they should volunteer?

Given society is obsessed with money - what people earn, whether benefits are sufficient, what people are 'entitled to' etc why should people give their time for free?

Volunteering costs money, in these times of high car costs etc it's expensive to volunteer. In my experience charities are expecting more and more (one reason why I will be discontinuing one of my volunteer roles).

Free working, which is what volunteering essentially is, is not officially recognised by the government. The majority of volunteers are women yet we are constantly disrespected and ignored.

How about introducing tax breaks for volunteers?

As time goes on my volunteering will be focused on my family - childcare etc.

I started volunteering when I retired because I thought that I should.

I actually love it and feel that I get more out of it than I expected. New friends, new skills, gets me out of the house on those wet rainy days and helps me to stay fit and active.
I would heartily recommend it to anyone, it’s a benefit to your life not a chore.

Unenthusiastic volunteers create more work rather than lessening it. And they ruin the atmosphere, so other, more motivated volunteers have less fun and resent having to pick up their load, so we lose them too.

So no, volunteering needs to be encouraged, but not enforced.

Not morally obliged, no. This is still in many ways a free country!

It's great if people do though. I do a bit, but I have friends who do so much more and I admire them, but don't feel I have to emulate them. I'm always happy to do voluntary things which fit my skill-set - working at home on projects etc - but less happy to be out there in the community. I'm quite shy and not a 'people person' really.

I worked hard all my life in the public services or for charities for relatively little pay so I feel I've done quite a bit for society in my working life!

Exactly this. Have paid taxes for 30+ years - I owe society nothing. I'd like to retire in peace, thanks.

I'll be retiring later this year, having worked full time since 1976. I've paid tax and NI throughout. I've also done voluntary work at various times, from the age of 14 onwards.

I actually believe that society owes me the opportunity to spend my own time and money to do some of the things I've not had the opportunity to do, while I still has reasonable health.

I may even go to university - after all, I wasn't one if the less than 10% of school leavers that did so when I was 18.

I want to be free in retirement not take on more lol. Feel I did my bit in kids school and helped with their sports clubs over the years. I think if you say I do x day its then more days

Nope.

No one should volunteer unless they really want to, otherwise you make a nuisance of yourself and more work for others. I volunteer about 15 hours a week in a charity office, along with the paid staff and other volunteers.

The other volunteers are all those who have taken early retirement, so late 50’s onwards up into their early 80’s, but most are 50/60’s. I’m a SAHM who not only values this particular charity but also gaining work experience to put on my CV, however I was less than impressed with the National Careers Service last year.

The helpline told me to remove volunteering from the CV and to instead add that I was a SAHM and I am organised and can multi-task etc because I look after DC and do housework (like every parent does). I was livid and I wish I had asked to speak to the manager at the call centre - why is a government agency spouting this kind of shit to people looking to move into employment? Volunteering is valuable and it would be helpful if places like the government’s career service did not de-value it over promoting 1950s housework crap on CV’s.

I would imagine the social side of volunteering could be good for retired people?

Doesn't it depend on what your DH/DP/DW is doing.
I decided I wouldn't retire while DH had a particular commitment which took up a lot of his time.
Once that ended and I retired the plan was to visit art galleries, museums, theatres etc, perhaps see extended family and travel. That lasted a couple of months till he started the volunteering (different than previous commitments). Like topsy that grew and he is now the go to person for everything - meeting up with builders, plumbers, decorators, doing the newsletter and website, organising events.
I just took up my own hobbies, got myself a Railcard and have the attitude of if he can possibly spare the time then he can join me.

No, but I know many retired people who do because they find some structure nice…

People these days do really resent older people. I find it very odd.

So I'm infertile and won't have children/grandchildren. Why should my health and fertility issues dictate something like this.
Fwiw I will volunteer when I retire because I do already but it sure as hell shouldn't be based on a moral duty based on my fucking reproductive system.