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The Demographic Opportunity: Volunteering in Older Age. VSSN Day Conference – 1 st December 2010 Eddy Hogg Northumbria University. An Ageing Population. Defining older age is problematic The population though is ageing Society will change as a result.
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The Demographic Opportunity:Volunteering in Older Age VSSN Day Conference – 1st December 2010 Eddy Hogg Northumbria University
An Ageing Population • Defining older age is problematic • The population though is ageing • Society will change as a result
Critical Gerontology & The Lifecourse • Gerontolology can be limiting; - biomedical model - welfare model • Challenging these constructs • Reconceptualising the lifecourse
Pathways into Volunteering • Three broad groups; • Continuous • Serial • Trigger (drawing on Davis Smith and Gay, 2005) • Older people value volunteering for very different reasons
Benefits to Organisations • Organisations value; • Commitment and longevity • Skills, but some tension here • Dedication to useful training • Organisations rely on older volunteers for a wide range of tasks
Why this matters… • Big Society and cuts; organisations facing huge demands • Ageing population yet focus on youth volunteering / social panacea • Diverse pathways into volunteering, need to emphasise this inclusivity
Thank you! edward.hogg@northumbria.ac.uk