Women over 60 have so much to offer the world! Over the last several years, I have had the opportunity to talk with 1000s of women in the Sixty and Me community and I am consistently amazed by the passion with which you are giving back and making a difference.

As I talked with other women about their volunteer activities, I noticed an interesting pattern – the people who engage in volunteer opportunities are also the happiest, most social members of our group. I suspect that part of the reason for this is that volunteering gives us the opportunity to meet like-minded people, who also want to change the world.

So, to help you make more friends while making the world a better place, I have created a list of volunteer opportunities that you might be interested in. All of these organizations are making a difference in the world – and they may just help you to find meaning in your life as well.

Silverline (UK) and Age UK

Silverline is a free, confidential, hotline that provided information, advice and friendship to older people in need. It is available 24-hours a day and helps seniors that are struggling with loneliness, depression and other life challenges.

For another “aging related” volunteer opportunity, consider Age UK, the UK’s largest charity dedicated to helping people “love later life.” Age UK offers several volunteer opportunities, including working at an Age UK shop, gardening, helping older people around the house, or leading computer classes.

Volunteer Guide

If you are looking for flexible, low-commitment volunteer opportunities, take a look at the Volunteer Guide. This website offers a vast directory of volunteer opportunities, organized by cause. For example, you can find opportunities associated with environmental protection, poverty prevention, health case and children’s issue. Best of all, their low-commitment approach, means that many options can be done from home, in as little as 15 minutes a day.

Go Volunteer (Australia)

Go Volunteer is a website run by Volunteer Australia that offers a directory of nearly 13,000 volunteer opportunities throughout the country. Their causes range from education to disaster relief. If you live in Australia, Go Volunteer is an excellent way to find local volunteer opportunities!

Volunteer Travel Opportunities

If you love to travel, while making a difference in the world, perhaps a “volunteer vacation” is the answer. This CNN article offers information on a wide range of volunteer travel opportunities, from saving baby sea turtles to working on an organic farm.

United Planet

United Planet is an organization that connects global volunteers with service opportunities in dozens of countries throughout the world. They offer the opportunity to learn a new language, experience cultural activities and see exotic new places, all while making the world a better place. Some of their previous projects include working at an orphanage and social development projects.

United Nations Volunteers

U.N. Volunteers promotes civic engagement, peace and development. Their supporters have diverse backgrounds and skills that are in particular demand at the U.N. Every year, 8,000 volunteers work on humanitarian aid, peacekeeping and development projects around the world.

I’d love to hear what you have to say on this topic. Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions and don’t forget to “like” and share this article so that we can keep the conversation going!

What volunteer organizations do you support and why? Have you found that volunteering also helps you to feel happier and more fulfilled? What advice would you give to the other members of our community who may be considering volunteering for the first time?