Low key part time work ideas to explore?
My spouse (mid 50s) is retired but getting bored and interested in some low-stress part time work. Any East Bay ideas for them? No childcare/teaching or retail. This is more for getting out of the house than for pay, so volunteer work also a possibility. Thx!
Oct 16, 2022
Parent Replies
My thought would be local government. There are usually committees to join that can align to interests and just attending local city/county meeting for some citizen oversight is valuable. Our democracy only works if people are paying attention.
Become a Master Gardener and volunteer at community gardens.
East Bay Regional Park District sometimes lists part-time seasonal jobs that are suitable for mature workers (rather than student interns). Check their website.
If volunteer work is an option too, they might try Berkeley Food Pantry. They're open 3 days a week to the public and one day a week for deliveries. Since volunteering is during the day during the week and their operations are almost all done by volunteers, they sometimes have a hard time getting enough help. But it's important and good work, feeding several thousand people each month with fresh and shelf stable food in Berkeley and Albany. https://www.berkeleyfoodpantry.org/get-involved
Check out Volunteer Match! Lots of good opportunities that you can explore based on your partner's interests. For example, there is an urban farm that needs help! https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org845170.jsp
If volunteering is a possibility, check out the websites for Ashby Village and Berkeley Schools Volunteers.
Ashby Village is a peer-to-peer community that helps everyone who participates to age better. Volunteering there is like paying it forward. Imagine if you are aging in your own home and everything is fine except you need someone to change that lightbulb or drive you to a medical appointment. That sort of thing.
Berkeley Schools Volunteers does not involve childcare or teaching. They need task runners, technology helpers, data entry, etc.
There are a number of senior programs in the area that could use a volunteer.
The City of El Cerrito runs a food program, both in house and meals delivered.
There is a Japanese based senior program, J-Sei, located in Emeryville, that prepares and delivers meals to seniors. This program is very flexible, not very stressful, and is staffed with some very nice people.
There are tons of volunteer opportunities out there. What are their interests and what sort of work do they want to support? Even if an organization doesn't post on volunteer match or similar sites, your spouse can contact pretty much any non-profit and make an offer!