A Look at Volunteers Ages 50+

Volunteering Age 50+

People aged 50 and over tend to be engaged in their communities. Within the 50+ cohort, however, there are major differences between the employed and the retired: The employed are more likely to volunteer, but the retired volunteer more hours per month. That is, in 2000 retired people were about 42 percent of all 50+ volunteers yet gave more than half of all hours given by this age group. By 2010, the number of people ages 50 – 64 will have increased by nearly one-third, compared to an increase of just 13 percent for those 65 and over, which will lead to an even split in total hours given by these age groups. However, because the 50 – 64 age group is expected to grow the most, its members will account for over 68 percent of the additional volunteering hours given by the 50+ population. In ten years, if the members of this age group volunteer as much as their counterparts do now, the 50+ age group will include at least an additional 8 million volunteers, giving 105 million additional annual volunteer hours.

Regular Volunteers

Regular volunteers (those who give their time weekly or nearly every week) are an important resource for nonprofit organizations, both faith-based and secular. They make it possible for organizations to plan and implement programs and services that would otherwise require additional paid employees. In addition, regular volunteers give more hours than occasional volunteers, further increasing their value to the organizations.

Volunteers from the 50+ working group are an excellent source of regular volunteers because of the large size of this population group. With about 3 out of 4 volunteers reporting being regular volunteers (77%), this age group will only grow in significance as it expands over the next ten years. These regular volunteers give an average of 12.6 hours per month, over 70 percent more than occasional volunteers, who average 7.3 hours per month. This group is, and will continue to be, an important source of educated, dedicated volunteers for nonprofit organizations.

Retired volunteers aged 50 and over are even more dedicated than those still working. Not only do a higher percentage report being regular volunteers, they give substantially more hours per month than working 50+ volunteers. Further, as might be expected, regular volunteers within the retired cohort volunteer substantially more hours than do occasional volunteers from this group, over three times as many hours per month on average. This age group may be smaller in numbers than its working counterpart, but its members are more likely to be regular volunteers and give more hours. Thus, this group of regular volunteers (mostly aged 65 and above) presents an outstanding opportunity for nonprofits. The number of these people, who volunteer an average of four hours per week, will grow into the foreseeable future, increasing as the Baby Boom generation ages.

To volunteer, call 272-2087.

Reprinted from Independent Sector