(Photo - University of Guelph)

In her essay on retirees taking up environmental advocacy at the Columbia Daily Tribune, Ann Gowans offers up good advice for those seeking further enrichment in their volunteer work. She raises important questions on why, instead of the regular volunteering, retirees should consider breaking the mold and venturing into the world of social entrepreneurship.

It seems to be the case that young people are often overlooked as a source of help in solving societal problems. If we can find the means to train youths and children to care for their ailing family members, especially in those countries where AIDS and other medical scourges are rampant, we might be able to increase our caregiving forces around the world. People who are considering retirement might think about leading such a program or programs in this and other countries.

The role of the social entrepreneur is not only to reinvent things and sprout new ideas but also to spread them until they affect existing public policy or even supplant outdated, ineffective policies. It is very important for those who work in the community with elders to be aware of the growing field of social entrepreneurism.

We need to recognize these people as heroes and be ready to support them as they develop new ways to approach old problems.

For more on volunteerism and retirees, check out the Age of Innovation, which has been following the topic.

This press release by the Assembly of European Regions also addresses a similar topic, on how to bring public private partnerships together, serving health and volunteering needs of seniors, while safeguarding them at the same time:

The participants also evaluated the possibility of using voluntary work at regional level in health and social affairs. Voluntary work should not be developed without certain safeguards - for example a clear legal framework - but the AER will further check the good examples from its member Regions and analyse how and in which areas seniors citizens are still willing to be active and can contribute to citizens welfare. "The regional level is the best to be a laboratory for bringing together NGOs, seniors and the needs of the society on social services. We believe that voluntary work may help to solve some problems, but it cannot be the solution to the problems" concluded Stig-Erik Westmark.