How can Korean older adults be encouraged to become more involved in volunteer activities?

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explored how Korean older adults can be encouraged to become more involved in volunteer activities. The study utilized in-depth, face-to-face interviews with twelve practitioners in senior volunteering fields in South Korea. The themes were (a) helping seniors become involved in volunteer activities; (b) developing programs to satisfy both the demand for and the needs of senior volunteers; (c) leveraging volunteer groups with elderly group leaders; (d) providing financial support for the cost of volunteer activities; (e) preventing dropout through personal support and mediation; (f) empowering service recipients for recruitment through one-to-one contact; (g) establishing a dedicated volunteer manager for senior volunteers; and (h) cultivating a privately led organization dedicated to senior volunteering. The results are expected to promote volunteer involvement among older adults based on the experiences of practitioners and to provide practical educational implications for instructors teaching and equipping college/graduate students or field practitioners who are new to the older population.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.