Let’s have compulsory national service for 65 year olds

[Barleypilaf]

So, if it’s a good idea to press-gang 18 year olds into national service, why don’t we do the same for those getting their pension? Everyone in the first year of pension should spend at least one weekend per month doing volunteering in their community. It would help to build community spirit, help the NHS and improve people’s fitness.

My dc have grown up with a disabled mum. They are not whining snowflakes. Shame you've raised yours to be so?

Does the average of 15 to 20 hours per week unpaid overtime just to do my job (public sector underfunded) count as my national service? Because that's what I'm doing at 66, and likely to keep working for at least another 4 years.

I don't see why not!

Your perception is so wide of the mark. 'When you need something doing ask a busy person' is much more the reality of volunteers. Most of the volunteers I know volunteer for more than one charity, have friends, family they like to see and very active social lives.

No I didn't actually my kids are all in their 30s and 2 of them have served for several years in the armed forces. From age they all worked/studied, got jobs and got on the property ladders.
And best of all they don't sneer about the older generation having it easy and have everything handed to them on a plate, which is untrue. Most actually worked incredibly hard to get where they are now

Ah so you'll be talking about your grandkids then? I'm in my 30s and my dc are nothing like you describe

Volunteering is not an age thing.

I have been a Volunteer since I was at school. I went to a Catholic school and some of us volunteered at a soup kitchen. I continue 40 years later tp be involved eith homeless charities.
I have Volunteered with VSO, Samaritans, Scouts, PTA , Governors, Link, Organise litter picking to name a few over the years. My DC do similar.

Recently, I helped out at an annual award honouring local volunteers. The ages were 8 to 88+.

The teenagers and local students are amazing. They were from all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds and religions. They have the enthusiasm of youth. They are committed to many causes.

Many of the local organisations rely on the over 60s to fill the gap in many services.

People are people no matter what age, creed financal or educational. Some like to be involved in society in general so do not.

The whole point of voluntary work is that it is voluntary.

On twitter someone suggested MPs should have to spend time doing work in schools, with the police and in healthcare. Now that I do see as a good idea. It would give them a great hands on education into the issues our public services actually face!

is that supposed to agree that young people are already pulling their weight without the system the Tories propose?

I didn't refer to young people in my post so I'm not sure what you're asking me.

Definitely. It would morally improve them, build character and empathy and build useful future skills in interacting with younger generations. I’m all for it

Definitely. It would morally improve them, build character and empathy and build useful future skills in interacting with younger generations. I’m all for it

@bombastix, not if it is compulsory. It would cause resentment for a lot of people. If it were an entitlement to access to a lot of voluntary well organised work experience schemes, however, it would be seen as a benefit and then people would be doing something wholeheartedly and therefore get more out of it.

Sorry not work experience schemes ( thinking of 18 year olds), should be community schemes.

bombastix · Yesterday 11:28
Definitely. It would morally improve them, build character and empathy and build useful future skills in interacting with younger generations. I’m all for it”

So you completed NS yourself, @bombastix ?

No? Thought not.

I'm 64 and a Carer for my 87 year old mum . i work self employed as a carer aswell inbetween looking after mum.I now live with her so i can make her meals and do all i can for her. i got made redundant off the oil rigs so infact it was fate as mum wasnt well . ive no intention on retirement , not even considered that yet. Im fit and healthy and would gladly do voluntary work one weekend a month to help others , I'm used to that now.i would even sign up for national service if I could .There's still life in me yet.But mum comes first and always will .

The state pension age is 66 NOT 65 don't you even know that???????????

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It has been There is a channel called Thats TV that shows loads of old comedies this being one of them

Re Gen X Some of us who were unemployed in the 90s already did something like this. Except it was all week long and it was called workfare

Might be good for some people. But I won't volunteer with other women...I get into fights with them..

Fair enough.

I've already done umpteen years of working full-time and caring for disabled relatives.

I'll just have to stop volunteering to take neighbours to medical appointments now whilst I'm doing my National Service. They can get patient transport instead.

Hmm, well as someone very close to pension age, I would say that I’ll probably continue doing voluntary work, and that I have always done voluntary work as well as working, except for a few years when DC were young ( though I did work then). Most of the older people I know do some kind of voluntary work, but those who don’t have mostly paid their dues and want a bit of freedom, assuming they’re well enough to enjoy it.
I do think having 18 year olds do some kind of compulsory community service would be a good idea, especially now that lots of teenagers don’t have weekend jobs anymore. I think many of them would benefit from contributing, and in terms of self esteem and personal development- I know so many young adults who are scared to step outside, who are hugely anxious about going to work and mix and make small talk with strangers.
In fact if I was in charge, I’d have them all working from 14, with free university education later if they want it, and apprenticeships available for all. I think there are a lot of teens who are forced to stay at school, don’t want to learn, find it physically challenging to sit all day and cause low level disruption as a result. There is nothing like doing productive work to promote self worth, self reliance and self esteem. They need to channel all that energy and strength, and learn how to exist in the adult world without being scared of making mistakes.
Anyway, I’ve massively digressed. I wouldn’t be totally against retired people being asked to continue contributing to society, but there would be issues re enforcement, and of ability. It has to be remembered that state pensions are not a handout, they have been earned, so it wouldn’t be right to use them as financial penalties for non compliance, and if a person were to say that they didn’t feel they had the energy or ability to do the said ‘ voluntary’work, how would that be arbitrated?

I started work at 14 and did voluntary work from the same age. I am now 70 and absolutely knackered. I was exhausted by the time I was 60 tbh, but we all have to keep going till 66, soon to be raised to 67 I think. That is not counting unpaid caring for MIL for 10 years. I think I did my bit, as did all my contemporaries.