Volunteering as a way to meet people over 50

Volunteering solves the hardest part of meeting new people: having a reason to be there, and something to talk about. You turn up, there's a job to do, and conversation happens along the way. Over weeks and months, people get to know the real you, which no profile can match.

Why volunteering works so well for meeting people

Volunteering works because it gives you regular contact with the same people and a shared purpose, the two things that turn strangers into friends.

• You see the same people regularly. Familiarity is how strangers become friends.
• You have a shared purpose. Sorting cans or planting bulbs side by side is easier than making small talk across a table.
• People see you at your best. Kind, reliable and useful, without you having to say so.
• It's good for you anyway. Even if you never meet anyone special, you'll have done something worthwhile and widened your circle.

The most sociable roles

Some volunteering is solitary, such as phone lines or data entry. If meeting people is part of the point, look for roles with a team or the public. Here's how common roles compare:

One-off event days are a good way to try a cause before you commit.

How to find opportunities near you

The quickest way to find a role is to ask locally, then use the national programs in your country.

Anywhere: libraries, senior centers, community centers and places of worship all know who's looking for help. Most charities also have a volunteering page or a coordinator you can call.

United States:

• AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP is a national program for people 55 and over, matching volunteers with roles in their community.
• The Eldercare Locator (call or text 1-800-677-1116, or search at eldercare.acl.gov) connects you with your local Area Agency on Aging, which knows about programs for older adults, including volunteering.

United Kingdom:

• NCVO, the national body for the voluntary sector in England, has pages on finding a volunteering opportunity and your local volunteer center.
• The Royal Voluntary Service recruits for roles in hospitals, in the community, at lunch clubs and as volunteer drivers.
• u3a is a UK-wide movement of more than 1,000 locally run groups. Many members help run their local u3a, which is a sociable way to volunteer.

Australia: the GoVolunteer website lists volunteer roles around the country, and local councils often advertise community roles.

Your first step: an example message

A short, friendly email or call to a volunteer coordinator is all it takes. This is an example; use your own words:

Example: "Hello, I'm recently retired and would like to volunteer regularly, ideally one morning a week. I enjoy working with people and I'm happy to learn. Do you have any roles that might suit? Thank you."

Ask what training is involved, whether there's a regular team on your shift, and whether any checks are needed.

Background checks: what to expect

Some roles need a background check, especially those with children or vulnerable adults. That's normal and a good sign an organization takes care.

• England and Wales: the check is a DBS check. GOV.UK says standard and enhanced checks are free for volunteers.
• Scotland and Northern Ireland: separate schemes apply (PVG in Scotland, AccessNI in Northern Ireland); the organization will tell you what's needed.
• United States and Australia: organizations arrange their own checks, which vary by role and state.

If you have limited time or mobility

Volunteering doesn't have to mean long shifts on your feet. Plenty of roles suit people with less energy, a health condition or caring duties:

• Seated roles: welcome desks, ticket desks, gift shops and information points.
• Short, regular slots: an hour or two a week rather than a full day.
• Group making: knitting, sewing or craft groups that make items for hospitals and charities.
• Committee and planning roles: helping run a club, a fair or a fundraiser.
• One-off events: a single day at a festival or charity event, when you feel up to it.

Tell the coordinator what you can and can't do. Good organizations would rather fit a role to you than lose a willing volunteer.

Who volunteering suits, and who it doesn't

Volunteering suits people who like being useful, enjoy routine and are happy to let friendships grow slowly. It suits people less well if they want to meet someone soon, or prefer one-to-one conversation to teamwork. Many people combine it with a dating site for exactly that reason.

Making the most of it

• Pick something you'd enjoy anyway. If you're only there to meet someone, it will show, and it won't last.
• Commit to a regular shift. The same day and time each week means the same faces.
• Say yes to the coffee afterward. That's where friendships form.
• Join the social side. Many organizations hold volunteer thank-you events, training days or outings.
• Be the person who learns names. It's the simplest way to be remembered warmly.

Keeping it appropriate

Romance between fellow volunteers is a normal, happy thing. Romance with the people you're there to serve is not. Clients of a food bank, patients, hospice families and vulnerable adults deserve help without any pressure, and most organizations have rules about this. Stick to them.

If you're interested in a fellow volunteer, take it slowly, keep it off-shift and away from the work, and accept a "no" gracefully. You'll still be seeing each other every Tuesday.

Volunteering alongside other ways to meet

Volunteering works well with other things: walking groups, dance classes, faith communities and an over-50s dating site. Our guide to where senior singles really meet covers the others, and senior singles groups explains how to find clubs near you. Our UK page and US page list more local options.

If you'd also like to see who's single further afield, Just Senior Singles is free to join and browse; reading and replying to messages needs a paid membership. See how it works.

When you do meet someone, our guide to your first date after 50 will help, and meeting a match in person has a short safety checklist.