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October 23, 2007, 01:06 PM ET
Retired People Demand Pay for Volunteering at Charities
Retired people are increasingly demanding and receiving pay from nonprofit groups for work that used to be considered strictly unpaid, reports The New York Times.
“People used to say, ‘Here I am, what do you need done?’” said Deborah Russell, director of work-force issues for AARP, in Washington. “Today’s retirees say, ‘Here’s what I do well, how can you use it, and what will you pay?’ “
Experts say that the payments are important in motivating people to stick with their volunteer roles.
“Even a small check is a symbol that what they are doing really makes a difference,” said Ben Rosen, a management professor at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. “Volunteer work used to be considered women’s work, so it is not surprising that career women reject the concept,” said Mr. Rosen.
Thomas Scott, chief executive of the Lawrence County Community Action Partnership, in New Castle, Pa., said his group paid retired people $9.10 an hour to drive the charity’s clients to doctor appointments. Said Mr. Scott: “Volunteerism works for a short project, but when you need people to show up consistently and on time, you’re better off paying them.”
For more about the growing efforts to engage retired people in volunteer work, see The Chronicle’s Regeneration section.
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