Lifestyle – Leisure
a Guide Dog while it learns to become a seeing eye dog, or you could volunteer at your local Red Cross Shop. There are so many volunteering options to choose from that can make a huge difference in your local community. Volunteering Australia also runs an initiative called GoVolunteer.com.au that helps connect volunteers with the right organisation match.
Study It’s never too late to study at university and learn something new! Government developed an initiative called the Restart Program, which encourages employers, through a financial incentive, to take on mature age workers. Not only that, the Government has a Career Transition Assistance (CTA) program that helps older job seekers build confidence and skills so they can re-enter the local job market. It is common in certain industries for people approaching their older age to move into positions that have less hours. For instance, teaching is a pretty full-on career, but substitute teaching or tutoring can be an alternative to working full time. If you are lost about what to do next or what field you would like to move into, a career counsellor could be greatly beneficial with finding a new avenue of employment and
It’s never too late to study at university and learn something new! 26
Your Retirement Living – 8th edition
enjoyment. And if need be, maybe look at further training to help you move into a new industry.
Volunteering Most older Australians will lend their time to volunteering causes. A majority of Australia’s volunteers are older retirees. Being able to give back to your community or to others not only provides a sense of achievement, but can really give you purpose. So whether it’s cooking meals for the homeless or helping out at your local op shop, see what volunteering opportunities are available to you in your community. Contact your local Council to see what local volunteering options are available, depending on where you live, they may have a town beautification group, which keeps the gardens and towns looking clean and tourist-friendly, or many Council’s utilise older volunteers to drive vehicles and assist other older people attend their doctor’s appointments. Volunteering Australia has a directory, where you can find what volunteering opportunities are in your local city or town. You could become a puppy raiser, fostering
More often than not, older people are starting to diversify their own education at universities or learning institutes during their retirement. You can now follow interests or passions you have never had time to dedicate yourself to previously. Why not learn another language? Or take up a course in archeology? Live the dreams you had as a child. Heading back to university is becoming more common, and even encouraged, for older people. There is a large portion of older women who are entering university as they never had the opportunity when they were raising the family. University of the Third Age (U3A) is an international education organisation that provides courses to people over 50 who are no longer working. Each State and Territory has its own U3A available to older students. Most universities in Australia also make special effort to support mature-age students, including through flexible study options and support services. They tend to have a more flexible admission process when applying for a degree that includes your work and life experience. There are usually orientation programs for mature students so they can transition back into an education environment.
