Whether you’ve just retired or are looking for ways to stay active and connected, volunteering offers a meaningful way to stay active, give back and enrich your life.
Want to stay active and make a difference in your golden years? Whether you’re passionate about mentoring, caring for others or protecting the environment, there are plenty of ways to contribute in your community.
As a senior volunteer, you’ll be in good company too. The National Giving Study (NGS) 2023 by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) showed that volunteerism is healthy among young seniors (50 to 64 years old), as well as those above 65 years old — with the former registering a 31% volunteerism rate compared to the NGS 2021 result of 19%. The volunteerism rate of 15% among older seniors was unchanged from 2021.
Here are some ways seniors can find purpose and fulfilment through volunteering:
The Home Team Volunteer Network (HTVN) unifies and brings together the diverse volunteers from across the Home Team. Its 15,000 volunteers serve in areas ranging from frontline roles — such as enforcing law and order and firefighting — to educational and community roles — such as sharing tips on how to stay drug-free and providing support for crime victims. Explore the 11 volunteer schemes run by the various Home Team agencies here.
Established in October 1998 with the vision to make every senior a volunteer, RSVP Singapore – The Organisation of Senior Volunteers provides opportunities for volunteering in a range of roles. RSVP’s Mentoring Programme is one of its longest running programmes – senior volunteers serve as mentors to at-risk primary school children. For instance, in a three-hour after-school programme held at the school premises, mentors engage students through activities such as storytelling, arts and craft, and role-playing to impart moral values including perseverance, responsibility, and empathy. Seniors can also conduct IT literacy workshops for fellow retirees.
Established in 2011, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) Health Ambassadors network is made up of volunteers from all walks of life who share a passion of inspiring others to live a healthy lifestyle. Ambassadors are involved in encouraging those in their community to lead active and healthy lifestyles, and support HPB programmes and activities among partner organisations.
One of the main roles of a hospice care volunteer is to provide emotional and practical support to patients and families at hospices or who are cared for by providers such as HCA Hospice, Singapore’s largest home hospice care provider, and Assisi Hospice. Be a source of comfort and joy to those in their final stages of life.
Volunteering with the National Parks Board (NParks) is suitable for those who are passionate about nature and the environment, as well as Singapore’s biodiversity. From joining in the various nature patrols and gathering data for research to caring for rescued animals and helping in educational and community outreach activities, there are myriad opportunities to volunteer with the statutory board. Training will be provided.
You can also join Waterways Watch Society (WWS), a non-governmental and non-profit environmental organisation committed to fostering appreciation and promoting conservation of the Singapore’s waterways, WWS operates weekly patrols and run environmental education initiatives and programmes that focus on experiential learning.
Primarily running a soup kitchen and meal delivery service, there’s a plethora of roles volunteers can take up at Willing Hearts. Help is needed for meal preparation, packing, cleaning, gardening, general housekeeping, and meal delivery. Volunteers are needed throughout the day, from 5am.
Food From The Heart needs help in packing and distributing food to low-income families, ensuring that they have access to essential provisions. You can also contribute your skills such as in photography, event management, graphic design, and administrative work.
Lonely and vulnerable elderly people benefit from regular visits and companionship from the Lions Befrienders. Besides engaging with them individually or as a group (1:1 or community befriending), volunteers can also help to bring these seniors for medical appointments or help them with simple housekeeping.
The National Heritage Board’s Heritage Activation Nodes (HAN) initiative seeks to provide opportunities for the community to participate in and co-develop projects aimed at celebrating the heritage of their neighbourhoods. As a HAN Heritage Champion, volunteers undergo expert-led training to gain valuable knowledge. A minimum commitment of one year, with contribution in at least two volunteering roles, will be required.
Various museums in Singapore – such as the Asian Civilisations Museum and the National Museum of Singapore – work closely with volunteer guides and docents to run tours and workshops, as well as volunteer museum hosts and care facilitators to enhance the museum experience for guests. Training is provided for volunteers.
HOW TO GET STARTED
New to volunteering and unsure where to begin? Here are some simple steps to get started:
Talk to experienced volunteers — Reach out to organisations or friends and family who volunteer to gain insights into different opportunities. You can also explore NVPC’s SG Cares Giving Week, which features Volunteer Learning Journeys — curated experiences that introduces you to different causes.
Find the right fit — Align your interests with an organisation’s vision and mission, and consider your physical abilities when selecting a role that suits you.
Leverage your skills — Skills-based volunteering allows professionals to use their expertise, to support social service agencies. Functions like communications, website design, and fundraising are crucial to these organisations, but they may lack dedicated resources.
Stay open to learning – Be willing to try new things, develop new skills, and step outside your comfort zone.
Start small — If you’re unsure, begin with short-term or ad-hoc opportunities before committing to a long-term role.
Use volunteer-matching tools – Platforms like SG Cares help match your skills, interests, and availability with suitable opportunities, making it easier to find the perfect volunteering fit.
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