Preparing for Retirement
Prepare for changes to your identity, purpose, routine, relationships and sense of connection.
Welcome to The Still Needed Academy
Retirement changes more than your working hours.
The Still Needed Academy helps people prepare for and adjust to the personal side of retirement, including retirement caused unexpectedly by illness or injury. Your career may end. Your value does not.
Support for the human side of retirement
Beyond financial planning
Identity, purpose, routine, relationships and connection.
Private and self-paced
Work through the Journey in your own time.
Available wherever you live
Practical online guidance in Australia and overseas.
Life beyond the workplace
Staying connected after retirement
Retirement can quietly change our social world. This short video explores the importance of maintaining connection, finding new communities and continuing to contribute.
Explore the JourneyFind your starting point
Where are you in your retirement journey?
Choose the path that most closely reflects where you are today.
Already Retired
Find practical guidance if retirement feels different—or more difficult—than you expected.
Leaving Work Unexpectedly
Navigate the personal impact of leaving your career through illness, injury or circumstances beyond your control.
Why the Academy exists
Created from lived experience
When Martin Stow’s police career ended unexpectedly through ill health, he experienced the loss of identity, purpose, routine and camaraderie that can follow a significant career.
He created the Academy so others could prepare for the human side of retirement.
People do not lose their value simply because a job title disappears.
About MartinExplore the Academy
Find the support you need
Learn about the Journey, meet the founder, explore organizational support or begin with a free retirement-transition guide.
The Retirement JourneyExplore the six-stage, self-paced Journey for preparing for and adjusting to life beyond work.About MartinMeet the founder and discover the lived experience that inspired the Academy.For OrganizationsDiscover preventative retirement-transition support for employees, members and their families.Books & ResourcesExplore practical books and begin with 7 Signs Retirement Is Harder Than You Expected.
Featured book
Letting Go of the Role
A calm, practical guide for anyone facing the loss of identity, structure and belonging that can follow the end of a long career—particularly in policing, emergency services and other service-based roles.
Martin wrote this book from lived experience. It explores how to step away from a professional role without losing sight of the experience, character and contribution that remain.
A helpful place to begin
Is retirement harder than you expected?
Our free guide will help you recognize common challenges involving identity, purpose, routine and connection—and identify a constructive next step.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Retirement Transition Journey for?
It is for people preparing for retirement, already retired, or leaving work unexpectedly through illness, injury, redundancy or circumstances beyond their control.
What does the Journey include?
Six structured stages covering role transition, understanding retirement, purpose, connection, balance and planning ahead.
Does the Academy provide financial advice or counseling?
No. The Academy provides practical education for the personal and emotional transition into life beyond work. It does not replace financial, legal or medical advice, counseling or clinical care.
Important information. The Still Needed Academy provides educational guidance for the personal and emotional transition from working life into retirement. It does not provide financial, legal or medical advice, counseling, clinical care or crisis support. Individual experiences and outcomes will vary. Where appropriate, seek advice from a suitably qualified professional.
Your next chapter
Ready to join The Still Needed Academy?
Sign up securely and begin the self-paced Retirement Transition Journey.