What to do after job retirement - 'Mentoring Young People'

Shanjoy Mairembam *

People are living longer in this century due to availability of better health and social care facilities. Pace of change in social lives is also very fast in recent decades due to the emergence of internet, social media, and mobile communications, etc. In such situation, this world is facing new dilemma of high aging population around. On one view, these elder generations have gained huge experience in life and build on piles of wisdom because of having overcome many challenges in their lives. On the other aspect, these elder generations need to keep up their pace to adapt to social changes around to make their lives interesting and lively among the current younger generations. Out of nowhere, curiosity arise – what elders can do when they retire from their jobs, not only just to enjoy their own lives but also to contribute to the society in their last peg of lifespan.

Retired senior citizens can guide middle-age adults who are in-charge of various organizations by sharing their own experiences of running those institutions in the past. Advices of seniors are often useful to such middle-age adults since they have encountered failures in the past and lived through crises by amending mistakes. Technicality of doing things can be learnt but wisdom of common sense (i.e. gut feeling) needs to be passed on from one to another. Senior citizens may not need to work for a living, but sharing know-how experience to middle-aged adults may stimulate their brain power back again and help keeping them in-touch among their peer groups still even after retirement. Senior citizens may form groups or social clubs among liked minded friends and colleagues of their age based on similar interest of sports, or previous careers, or social cause, or fun habits to enjoy, etc.

Kids and school going teenagers often tend to bond better with grandparents than with their own parents. In this way, grandparents may indeed support the kids to shape their characters and personalities for future. Parents may be too busy to make earnings for the family in order to lead a better future, but in the process, they often may miss to rectify small mistakes of their wards that can lead children on wrong paths of no return. At times, children can be very stubborn and family can be in chaos due to tensions between parents and growing up teenagers. In such scenarios, presence of grandparents can ease the atmosphere within the family bringing happiness and mutual understanding.

Since people live longer now and social change is also rapid due to impact of new technology trends on people, senior citizens have to re-learn new ways of doing the same old habits. About shopping, online shopping using credit card is the new trend; about banking, it is about online and phone banking; about watching TV, it is now digital flat TV with touch screen or online streaming; and so many other examples. Even middle-aged adults often have to re-learn various habits of doing things newly, or else, they will miss opportunities in their careers and not able to get along with changing trends in the society. Thus, senior citizens also have to show interest in the various social trends if they are to live in tune with trends in the society. This social change is not something this generation or last generation nor next generation can ever stop; the only way forward for everyone is to adapt accordingly.

Most teenagers and youths find honored to have met senior citizens who possess command over intellectual ideas of high significance over relevant topics in the society. They may even follow those elders (as fans) who are still up-to-date with modern technologies or social trends. Most senior citizens often become role models for the school going teenagers and youths; because their lives are all in the limelight having proven and passed through almost every phase of a human lifespan. As modern lifestyle for everyone is spent on being too busy competing with each other for a better life, retired senior citizens may offer peace of mind and calmness to current generation by sharing their wisdom through occasional interactions.

Mentoring is similar to coaching or teaching or training or advising, but still different from these terms. Intention of mentoring is neither to teach someone what one knows to the other nor just about to advise a junior by a senior. Mentoring is like parenting in the sense that 'the mentee is allow to create own imagination of their life ahead, and mentor only ignites the mentee's passion enabling realization of dreams while keeping the mentee on check from possible mistakes'. Of course, it is good to have a mentor who has some experience of the topic or scenario the mentee is in the past. Yet, role of mentor is not inclined towards technicality as a trainer; rather, it is understanding like a coach and still allows the mentee to lead own path.

Retired elders from work or any senior citizens can indeed enjoy mingling with teenagers and youths by only just adapting their willingness to do so. They can act as mentor to younger generations, which will not only spice up their retired lives but also able to still influence the society they were once the shapers of social trends. Young people also can avoid falling into uncertain pitfalls in life by listening to experiences and wisdoms of elders. Mentors are like trust-worthy friends who listen with full attention and share their honest opinions.

Thus, we can clearly see that there is a win-win situation for both senior citizens and younger generations to engage often in all means of discussion themes. Elders can learn about modern trends followed by teenagers (enabling them stay relevant to the current society), while teenagers can gain experiences of elders (enabling them shape own lives ahead better).