With Summer vacation starting, I thought it might be good to re-post this blog. Volunteering is a great way for kids to gain valuable experience and learn the satisfaction that comes from giving back.
(Park High students assembling United Way literacy kits - Day of Service 2017)
I get calls from time to time from moms or group leaders wanting to find volunteer opportunities for youth under 18. The reasons vary. They might be new to the area and want to meet more people. The productive use of "downtime" is one I hear often. Some want to instill a sense of giving back to the community. Or, a school may have community service requirements to meet. With the long holiday break coming, I thought there might be time and opportunity to take action.
Because there are not many opportunities for kids under 18 on the website, I sent out a survey to the volunteer coordinators I know to ask about opportunities they might have. I am happy to say, I received 18 responses (so far) from agencies willing to work with youth volunteers.
Here is what I learned:
- Fourteen (14) is the typical starting age, although some organizations will work with younger volunteers.
- Most require an adult to accompany the volunteer(s) during the work.
- Collection drives are a great way to expose children to volunteering, especially if they are too young to help directly. Often times the agency will give a tour of the facilities or in cases where that is not an option, they might send someone to do a presentation on the work they do.
If you are looking for opportunities for youth to volunteer in our area, please reach out to me. I will be glad to go through the agency responses with you to see if there is a match that works for your family or group. I would also be happy to share supply lists and make connections to agencies if you are considering a collection drive. You are never too old or too young to enjoy serving your community.
You will find other ideas for service projects for kids in this blog from Points of Light.
