Is Preference for Working vs. Volunteering Gender-Specific?
A Canadian study was reported last October which found that among men and women in Vancouver there is a clear tendency for men to plan to work part-time after retirement, while women plan to volunteer. The study was The Couples Retirement Study conducted for Scotiabank. This was just one part of the study, but I am intrigued by the split between men and women in their preferences for working vs. volunteering after retirement.
Is the preference for working vs. volunteering after retirement so clearly gender-specific?
Tell us what you think. Do you plan to work or volunteer? Does your experience match the study?
March 14th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
The year before I retired, I started to prepare my plan that would be my road map into retirement. One of the key items was a desire to perform a volunteer experience within the first three months of retirement. I retired in the middle of January and have been actively involved in the docent program at the local maritime museum.
Without a doubt, it has been one of the most fun and rewarding activities I have done in many years!
March 18th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Too many seniors struggling on very limited incomes are volunteering when they should be earning a paycheck. I am not a fan of volunteering unless you have adequate financial resources. You need to be able to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I do both. i am a retired teacher, so i volunteer at a school near my home (not the school from which I retired) and i also tutor privately for pay.
Donna
May 9th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
i agree with Barbara, we should take care of ourselves first before voluntering for others, we should be financially secure and a large majority of us are not, i myself do not volunteer, as i see today that peoples are not appreciative.
Rita Berzaghi