Organisations’ age management of older volunteers: pointing to the future

Abstract

Across Europe voluntary organisations are aware of the main challenges population ageing is going to bring to them with respect to the volunteer workforce. This is reflected in the opinions they express and the age management strategies they have already implied or are considering to imply. Voluntary organisations particularly underlined the role played by staff shortages, service quality and older volunteers’ high experience and competencies as relevant aspects to explain why recruitment, satisfaction and also retainment of older volunteer are essential in the current scenario of increased longevity and population ageing. Successful strategies would require to pay more attention to training and flexibility in terms of tasks, hours spent on volunteering and the duration of volunteer activities and overall more planning.