Tschetter said older volunteers make a 27-month commitment to the Peace Corps, which includes three months of in-country training. After health, their biggest concern is learning a new language, he said, which is seen as an important way of enriching the experience and becoming part of the community. "But we try to be selective," he said, and send those with difficulties to places where English is "more readily usable." Volunteers can resign at any time, he said. "That happens - a couple of months in you know you can't do it," Tschetter said. "But we're judicious in our selection."
Applications from over-50s are up 65 percent
Peace Corps looking for older volunteers
By Janette Williams, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/20/2008 10:48:25 PM PDT
PASADENA - On a trip to recruit baby boomer volunteers for his Peace Corps' "50+" initiative, Worldwide Director Ron Tschetter will be in town Thursday to give a keynote address at Neighborhood Universalist Unitarian Church in Pasadena.
Tschetter, who launched the initiative eight months ago, said there's a growing need for the experience and commitment that older Americans can bring to the Peace Corps' mission.
He's hoping to sign up more seasoned volunteers with in-demand skills, including in the education and medical fields.
The organization's goal is to increase older volunteers from 5 percent to 15 percent of the total, and Tschetter said that since launching the initiative eight months ago, applications from over-50s are up 65 percent.
"There's no upper age limit," said Tschetter, who served alongside Miss Lillian Carter, President Carter's mother, as a Peace Corps volunteer in India in the 1970s and became a close friend.
"We have one volunteer in training who's 84," he said, but acknowledged there are different concerns for older volunteers.
Questions of health, he said, are the "biggest single challenge," and older volunteers must both be fit and assured of good health care close by.
"We cannot compromise on that," Tschetter said. "We won't send people to very remote places. We're very careful and we took several months to evaluate and study, to make sure we know what we're doing with that part of the
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process. We've got it down pretty well."
Still, 50-plus volunteers are serving in 67 of the 74 Peace Corps countries, officials said, primarily in Ukraine, South Africa, Mexico, Jamaica and the Philippines.
Part of the outreach to older volunteers will be made through AARP, among other retiree organizations.
Marvin Schachter, a Pasadena senior advocate and member of the AARP's state executive, said he's sure the Peace Corps will find many receptive locals in a city known for its "social conscience" and diversity.
"You can never have enough doctors, enough health workers, engineers, scientists, people who can help to build wells or test water - the need is incredible," Schachter said. "And it's important that this is a commitment of the American people, not necessarily the government, to do something. It's an extremely important contribution to the understanding of America."
Tschetter said older volunteers make a 27-month commitment to the Peace Corps, which includes three months of in-country training.
After health, their biggest concern is learning a new language, he said, which is seen as an important way of enriching the experience and becoming part of the community.
"But we try to be selective," he said, and send those with difficulties to places where English is "more readily usable."
Volunteers can resign at any time, he said.
"That happens - a couple of months in you know you can't do it," Tschetter said. "But we're judicious in our selection."
Most resignations are for health reasons.
Volunteers' transportation is paid, they get a living allowance and housing plus 100 percent medical coverage, he said, plus a $6,000 "readjustment" check on their return.
The Peace Corps address and panel discussion will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Neighborhood Church, 301 N. Orange Blvd.
Thursday janette.williams@sgvn.com
