Is Workaway for retirees? Some might associate volunteering abroad opportunities with something you do in your 20s or 30s.
Surely new sights, sounds, and smells can not only be reserved for the young, right?
The whole point of Workaway is to provide an alternative to vacations simply being cruises and all-inclusive resorts.
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What is Workaway?
Workaway is an online platform / community for volunteering that connects businesses, families, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc. with travelers.
It is similar to both a social media account and the popular accommodation and experience finding site, Airbnb.
Both travelers and hosts make a Workaway profile.
Hosts are typically looking for someone to volunteer in a hostel or help around the house, business, or organization.
In exchange for volunteering, travelers are provided with food and accommodation.
Workaway For Retirees Is An Amazing Opportunity
Workaway for retirees is totally possible and those entering retirement and considering it as an option should know that they actually have some advantages over others!
#1 Retirees Have Enough Time
Workaway is all about getting to live with locals to experience the culture.
Usually, this can mean staying in one place for a few weeks to a few months.
Many people who are looking for an alternative vacation might have limited time to spend.
This is why Workaway is ideal for those taking a gap year, students on summer break, or full-time travelers.
Well, retirees need to be added to that list because they have literally nothing but time on their hands!
Having retired from a job and most likely full-grown children that are off having their own families, retirees could easily spend a few weeks or months doing Workaway.
Retirement does not have to be boring, check out these travel after retirement books:
- 65 Secrets to Amazing Retirement Travel – More Than 65 Intrepid Writers and Travel Experts Reveal Fun Places and New Horizons in Your Retirement
- Retirement Italiano: Adventures and Misadventures in a Foreign Culture
- The Fun Side of the Wall: Baby Boomer Retirement in Mexico
- My Love Affair With Italy: Memoir of a single woman’s travels to Italy spanning 45 years from a teenager to retirement
#2 Doing It For The Right Reasons
If a retiree does choose to volunteer abroad, they will probably be doing it for the right reasons.
Retirees have had a few years of being an adult and making decisions.
Chances are, they won’t be volunteering to try to pay as little as possible on accommodation expenses.
Instead, the focus will be on immersing yourself in the culture.
#3 Disposable Savings To Use
For decades, society has pushed for workers to save for retirement.
In the last century, there has been a huge push for individuals to prepare for when they can no longer or choose to no longer work.
One of the perks to this is that retirees often have a good amount of savings.
This extra cash can help to sustain retirees doing Workaway!
#4 Make Your Savings Go Farther
As mentioned in #3, having extra savings is great to help fund your travel volunteering.
If you are from a ‘first world’ country where the cost of living can be expensive, it could actually benefit you to travel.
Visiting other countries with a lower cost of living will significantly reduce extra costs that come along with volunteering.
You might find that travel will be cheaper than living in your own country.
Check out this book if you are interested in learning more:
A Better Life for Half the Price: How to prosper on less money in the cheapest places to live
#5 Retirees Have A Lot Of Skills To Offer
As mentioned above, retirees have been around the block a few times. No, I do not mean that negatively at all!
Retirees have been through a whole lifetime of experiences.
They will have so much value to offer their Workaway hosts, whether that be funny stories, knowing many languages, useful skills from previous jobs, etc.
Workaway states in the comments of this blog post,
“Over 20% of Workawayers are over 40… More mature workawayers are often sought after due to them having more general skills.”
#6 Retirees Already Know Their Likes & Dislikes
Many times, younger Workawayers might not know what they like or dislike.
That is the whole point for them. They are looking to travel and experience the world.
Well, Workaway for retirees can be amazing in the sense that they already know what they like and do not like.
They have had enough experience to know they should not volunteer to do the cooking, online help, farming, etc. if they hate those things.
Workaway For Retirees – Things To Consider
Here are a few things to think about before embarking on your Workaway journey as a retired person.
#7 What Skills Are You Wanting To Put Forth?
Some retirees might find themselves with some spectacular skills that they have learned throughout their lifetime.
It is good to think about what you want to contribute to a host. What do you have that will fit into helping locals?
#8 Physical Activity
What level of physical activity are you able to do?
If you are quite fit, there should not be any issue doing some of the more strenuous volunteering like renovating or gardening.
If you think you’d be better suited towards less strenuous activities, you have to look into house sitting!
TrustedHousesitters helps you stay in wonderful places for free by house sitting & caring for cute pets.
So as long as you are taking smaller pets, it shouldn’t be too physically difficult.
You can even find unique & amazing accommodation that would normally be hundreds per night!
By looking after other people’s homes & pets, you can score free accommodation in expensive destinations like Paris, New York City, London, etc.
Purchasing a 1 year membership gives you access to unlimited, worldwide house sitting opportunities.
They have more than all other housesitting websites in the world combined!)
#9 Medical Care
What is medical care like in the destinations you are planning to visit?
If you have any medical issues, it would be good to research the circumstances you are going into.
Looking this up beforehand will hopefully help you to feel a bit more prepared and secure.
#10 Travel Medical Insurance
It is very important to understand if you will be insured. Who you and where you are going will dictate how much and what type of coverage you will need.
Travel medical insurance is great for things like unexpected hospital visits, ambulance fees, co-pay fees, emergency dental, travel delay, lost checked luggage, natural disasters, personal liability, etc.
It is by far one of the most important purchases for your trip. If it is a matter of cost, well… if you can not afford it, you probably should not be traveling.
SafetyWing is great because they have wide coverage and are the most affordable.
Check out our tips for choosing travel insurance!
#11 Workaway In Retirement Goals
What are you wanting to get out of volunteering?
There are so many reasons why retirees should start doing Workaway, but what is your specific reason?
This will help dictate where you want to go and what type of host you should volunteer with.
#12 Family Support
Do you have support from your family to go volunteer?
Though family support is not necessary, it would be helpful.
Having encouragement to follow your dreams is always a positive!
#13 Talk With Other Retirees Doing Workaway
If possible, chat with someone else that has done Workaway in retirement!
Even if they are going to a completely different country and volunteering in a different skill, it would be good to ask questions about what it was like for them.
Final Thoughts On Workaway For Retirees
I hope these tips helped you in your planning process, whether for yourself, friends or family.
There’s so much more to cover on this topic, but I hope my Workaway for retirees guide gave some insight.
Have any questions? Leave them in the comments.
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