SILVER VOLUNTEERING AS A TOOL FOR ENGAGING SENIORS AND BUILDING CIVIL SOCIETY

Abstract

The following text, as intended by the author, is an attempt to highlight the socially important topic of silver volunteering and to demonstrate its significance for activating elderly individuals, which can contribute to an increase in their engagement in the public sphere. Volunteering will be presented as a form of senior citizens' civic participation, serving not only to foster the development of civil society in Poland but also constituting a pivotal element in shaping a positive image of elderly individuals within the public sphere. Given the ongoing societal aging process, concerted efforts should be made to harness the potential within seniors while simultaneously improving their quality of life. It appears that volunteering is an instrumental means to achieve both objectives, as well as to demonstrate that age is not a barrier to engaging in activities for the benefit of others.