Building connections: Interesting ways to get involved in your community

If you’ve entered retirement, or are planning to do so soon, then you’ve no doubt been thinking of ways to fill your time with paid employment out of the way.

While there may be some travel on the cards, and regular visits to see the grandkids, there are still many hours left in the day to do as you please. For some this can prove quite difficult having been surrounded by work colleagues and kids for years on end, and so the question remains how do you make new connections now employment is out of the picture?

Connecting with the community is a great way to not only keep the body happy and healthy, but to maintain an active mind, and stop you sitting on the couch feeling lonely. This, according to Starts at 60 Money Club Expert and retirement planning consultant David Kennedy, is a huge problem among the retired population and something which needs to be addressed immediately.

“Loneliness and isolation are concerning realities for older Australians and a major cause of mental health challenges among retirees,” he explains. “There is plenty of research confirming the importance of social interaction and ongoing community involvement in retirement, and we know that the presence of close relationships with family and friends has a major bearing on health and wellbeing as we age.”

There are many options to stay involved with the community, such as volunteering or joining a fitness group – you just have to get out there and give it a shot.

Volunteer at a local organisation or charity

If you’re retired, then you might have time to offer your skills and kindness to a charity or local organisation as a volunteer. There are a plethora of them out there always searching for generous individuals to help out, so you’ll likely be spoilt for choice.

Dedicated Starts at 60 blogger John Reid has spent much of his retirement assisting others as a volunteer, for non-government organisations such as the Australian Red Cross and The Salvation Army. With some on the job training he has also assisted those suffering from a mental illness to return to their communities, run quiz nights, held woodwork classes in nursing homes and assisted in court support work with abused women and children who don’t have their own family support.

Volunteering has no doubt kept Reid a busy man for the past 19 years, however, he says it’s all worth it, knowing you are helping to make a difference to someone’s life.

“Staying involved in the community becomes second nature,” he says. “There’s a great incentive in the fact the work you’re able to do is a two-way street.

“Not only do you provide a benefit to those for whom you provide assistance – pretty well feel-good in itself – it offers you the great benefit of broadening your personal horizons by encompassing a whole new world of people and their particular interests.”

Have fun at local council senior events

Most councils across Australia have set activities and events for the senior members of the community. This can range from fitness classes to dance lessons and craft groups.

For example, the Brisbane City Council has its 50 Plus Centre which offers a variety of activities, such as art classes and Bridge sessions, for South East Queenslanders who are seniors, pensioners or benefit receivers (excluding unemployment benefits). The events are held from Monday to Friday, generally in the morning and there is a small cost involved.

Whereas, in Victoria, the City of Melbourne has a range of free events and others for a small charge of around $3 in different locations. Some are health and fitness based with tai chi and yoga, while others are informative, such as basic home maintenance skills sessions.

Build connections at Men’s Sheds 

There are many clubs and groups aimed specifically at women, but don’t worry gentlemen, there is a special one for you too. Men’s Sheds have continued to pop up around the country since the 1980s with males from all walks of life coming together in a shed of some sort to create, chat and learn new skills.

They can be found in small country towns and bigger cities throughout Australia with all offering fun activities and most importantly, a chance to connect and form new friendships. From fixing lawn mowers and making furniture, to creating handmade toys for local school kids, the groups not only helps members, but the wider community as well.

However, there is a greater meaning to Men’s Sheds than getting a bunch of males together for a chat, it’s about building positive mental health and reducing the rates of depression, anxiety and social isolation among the cohort. Unlike women who could no doubt talk for hours about how they are feeling and what is upsetting them, men are typically less likely to open up if they’re struggling.

And there are a lot of them that are in need of some support. According to mental health organisation Beyond Blue, one in eight men experience depression at some point in their lives, and one in five battle with anxiety. That’s why Men’s Shed was created, to encourage males to look out for each other. Even if it’s just a cuppa and biscuit, it could make the world of difference.

To find out where your nearest Men’s Shed is, or if you’d like more information on what is involved, visit the association’s website.

Keep active with community fitness groups 

You may not be the most active of people but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved with fitness groups. If regular gyms aren’t your thing, then make the most of outdoor community workout gatherings.

There are numerous groups set up around the country offering fitness activities for the young and not-so-young looking to get off the couch and make some friends. Live Life Get Active is just one of those with classes open for all in the community – completely free of charge!

The classes range from boxing and yoga to circuit style workouts, sure to get the heart rate up. Better yet, the classes are set up in 140 communities across Australia, so there’s sure to be one close by. You can view all the locations via the company’s website, along with success stories from members and details on the qualified fitness instructors.

Further your education with non-formal courses

Once you finished school or perhaps tertiary education at a university or TAFE you no doubt celebrated the end of formal education. But as you age, things change and often people find themselves wanting to broaden their knowledge and learn something new.

Retirement is the perfect time to take on non-formal courses that not only help maintain a healthy and active mind, but provide opportunities to meet new people. There are a selection of different providers offering courses specifically for seniors, such as University of the Third Age.

The worldwide organisation has facilities all across Australia with courses varying from history to photography and human biology. And it’s not just about studying either with each city’s hub organising social activities, including bushwalking, tennis days, coffee and chat mornings, and board games sessions.