What South Korean Schools and Dutch Nursing Homes Can Teach Us About Part-Time Work for Retirees

In rural South Korea, schools with dwindling student populations faced a unique challenge. Instead of closing, they opened their doors to older adults. The result? Classrooms where an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old might share a story at recess. These intergenerational classrooms offer more than education—they create meaningful connection, reduce isolation, and give older adults a renewed sense of purpose.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, one nursing home took a different yet equally innovative approach. They invited university students to live rent-free in exchange for spending quality time with senior residents. It’s part college dorm, part retirement home—minus the all-night parties. Students bring energy and curiosity, while older adults offer life lessons and companionship.

What do these stories have in common? They both prove that intergenerational connection isn't just “nice to have”—it's essential. And more importantly, they show that older adults have so much more to give.

Here in Canada, where more and more seniors are living longer, healthier lives, we have an opportunity to learn from these examples. Many retirees want to stay active and engaged—but on their own terms.

That’s where On Your Own Time comes in. We connect retirees with flexible, purpose-driven part-time work—everything from mentoring and tutoring to caregiving and community support. The idea is simple but powerful: make it easy for older adults to keep contributing in ways that work for them, on their own time.

So, what if we reimagined aging not as an exit from productivity, but as an entry into a new kind of contribution?Let’s build bridges between generations. Let’s celebrate experience.Let’s make part-time work for retirees a part of the future of work in Canada.

Part-time work for retirees