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Laborers

Peter Likins retired this summer after nine years as University of Arizona president. But he hasn't stopped working.

Likins was among the many retirees who have come into the Star offices to speak with the Editorial Board before the Nov. 7 general election. Some, such as Likins and former Tucson Mayor George Miller, have shared their positions on ballot propositions. In addition, several candidates for office told us that without full-time jobs they have time and desire to serve their community.

Likins and others have joined the ranks of volunteers who plan to retire but don't plan to quit working, said Ellen Hargis, president and chief executive officer of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona.

National studies indicate that many retirees, especially baby boomers, want to retire from their careers and become involved in other areas such as health and social services, said Hargis.

Baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — are beginning to retire and many of them want to make remarkable contributions to society, according to Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures, a San Francisco-based organization that promotes the use of experienced, older adults to help nonprofit organizations.

"In Tucson we have such an incredible resources," said Hargis. "People retire here play golf and find that golf isn't enough."

Our community needs to embrace the energy, expertise and wisdom of retirees and encourage their involvement here.

To utilize retiree involvement to the fullest extent and benefit our community, some hurdles must be cleared and false impressions cast aside.

Unpaid volunteers often are not as valued or respected as paid personnel, a trend Hargis would like to see changed. So would we.

Moreover, unpaid positions often are not as challenging.

For example, some nonprofits find funding for a strategic planner and then use a volunteer for a clerk's position. "We need to change that: look for a volunteer planner and funds for the clerical work," said Hargis.

The "traditional" unpaid volunteer gives his or her time. Hargis said some programs offer a small stipend for living expenses. Likewise, some retirees go into paid work for much less money than they made in their careers.

The Volunteer Center is a clearinghouse for volunteers. It also has several programs to boost volunteerism and significant involvement here, which includes being a host site for Experience Corps, a national service program through Civic Ventures, said Hargis.

Volunteers in the Experience Corps are 55 and older and serve 15 hours a week tutoring Pima County students in reading and literacy. They receive a small living allowance. Their backgrounds are varied, from teachers to a former bank CEO. The stipend is important because it validates the work, Hargis said.

To fully engage volunteers, there must be a community commitment of money and time for nonprofits to develop systems and infrastructures.

To make a volunteer experience a win-win for both the individual and the organization, volunteers should be given job descriptions, orientation and training, and supervision. The expectations must be clear for all involved. Organizations that are most successful with volunteers utilize those systems, said Hargis.

Civic Ventures' Freedman suggests shifting the view of retirement from "the freedom from work" to the "the freedom to work."

As more baby boomers climb off the corporate ladder, we hope they work in ways that are personally rewarding and that benefit society. Our community needs to welcome and engage these new members of the "work force."

After all, sometimes golf isn't enough.