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Media releases > VSO raises retirement age to 75
Age of aid is extended by five years
(15 August 2003)
VSO, the international development charity that works through volunteers, today announces a rise in its retirement age to 75 - an increase of five years.
The move has been made possible by the extension of insurance cover for older volunteers and will help alleviate the chronic shortage of skilled, experienced volunteers in areas such as English language teaching and teacher training.
In our experience age is no measure of either quality or capacity for work,
says VSO's Director of Recruitment Nick Gallagher.
Some countries we work with impose their own retirement ages, and we have to respect that, but if you're over 50 and have the right skills, up-to-date experience and are passed fit and healthy by VSO doctors, then there are opportunities available and we want to hear from you.
The rise in retirement age is just the latest move from VSO to attract more skilled and experienced volunteers. The charity also wants to smash the misconception that it is still a gap year organisation - the age of volunteers has risen steadily over the last twenty years and today the average VSO volunteer is 38 years old with over 15 years of professional experience behind them.
The review of retirement ages was prompted by volunteer, Jean Blakeman (69) an ex-primary school teacher who, distraught at having to leave her students in China in May due to the SARS outbreak, appealed to VSO to let her go back and finish her work - despite the fact that she would be over 70 on her return to the country.
I always regretted not being able to do something like VSO when I was younger but thought that the chance had passed me by
says Jean. For me, after 45 years of teaching, VSO is like a bonus. When they told me I could go back to China, it gave me a proper purpose again. As long as I still have something to give my students; be it to help them get a better job or to help raise awareness of the environment, HIV or disability, then I still want to be there.
Attitudes towards older volunteers vary between countries. Some, such as China, value the talent and experience that those over 50 bring. Others, such as Mongolia, see the older person as someone to be looked after, who should not be working, and retirement ages are set as low as 45 for their elders so opportunities are limited. However, countries such as China are now actively seeking volunteers with experience that is no less than two years old in English language training and teacher training.
Editors' Notes- Spokespeople and case studies of older volunteers are available from the media team.
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