Seniors have perhaps the greatest motivation to participate, assuming that they are in good health and possess a modicum of technical expertise. They have time, by virtue of their withdrawal from the formal work world, and a significant percentage wish to remain engaged in civil society long after they have retired. It would be foolish not to think of ways in which these underutilized resources could contribute, both to satisfy their personal goals and the goals of civil society. The good news is that demographic trends point to the availability of growing numbers of seniors with skills, good health, and a desire to serve. University faculty face the most daunting challenges to participation, but large numbers are not required for the tasks envisioned.
Community service is frequently a subsidiary goal carrying few if any rewards.
This could be changing over time, however, as universities are increasingly challenged to make their skills and specialized knowledge available to the societies that pay their salaries. The elements that make up this initiative already exist throughout parts of the globe. They simply need to be creatively merged and implemented in a limited number of communities globally and then communicated to a wider audience. Seniors are also organizing to work on behalf of the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has applauded and recognized the volunteer work of both the Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement and the National Senior Service Corps.