East of the River | June 2007 | Children Making A Difference

Children Making A Difference

Finding the Perfect Volunteer Fit

by: Ed-Genuity Consultants

Summertime. School’s out and many students have lots of time on their hands. Why not fill some of those idle hours with volunteer work? Helping others boosts your child’s self-esteem while providing a vital service to our community.

Here are some tips to help your child find the perfect volunteer opportunity.

Match Your Interests
Think about your child’s skills, interests and even career goals. Do you have an animal lover? The zoo or a local animal shelter might be a good choice. Maybe your caring, patient child could work with seniors or disabled children. Your book lover could help out at the library or tutor struggling readers. Love politics? It’s true that we have just wrapped up our DC elections. Try the 2008 presidential campaigns. They are already in full swing. Young people can still get involved – even if they are too young to vote.

Perhaps the serious health issues of a friend or family member have deeply touched your child. Check out those groups that raise money for research or support people suffering with that illness. Try a local art gallery for your young artist or a hospital for your nurse-to-be. How about a theater for your would-be actor, or a newspaper for your budding writer?

Take stock of your child’s personality. Your child who loves the outdoors would be miserable working in an office. However an Anacostia River cleanup project might be perfect. On the other hand, your “techie” youngster might thrive working on an environmental group’s Web site. Your outgoing child would probably be happy out front serving meals and talking with homeless families at a shelter. Your shy child, who also cares about hunger, might prefer more behind-the-scenes work like helping at the food bank.

Check Your Schedule
You need to determine what fits into your child’s schedule. Is your child attending summer school? Account for any outside activities like band, sports or a part-time job. It’s OK to start small. Many groups have one-time events like clothing drives or walkathons that don’t require a long-term commitment. These events are a great way for children to try a variety of projects and help them figure out what issues they really care about. A child who enjoyed serving Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter may choose to help out weekly at a local food bank. So don’t be surprised if your child’s volunteer time increases with his/her interest.

Give and Grow
Volunteering helps your child as much as the communities served. Some of the benefits are obvious. Your child will gain a greater sense of personal and social responsibility. Children feel more connected to and valued by their community. Self-esteem increases. When children recognize that one person can make a difference, they want to give back even more. Your child can also learn empathy and respect for people from other economic, ethnic, cultural or religious backgrounds.

Some of volunteering’s other effects might surprise you. Children who volunteer are more motivated to learn. They pay greater attention to schoolwork. Drug abuse, teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors are reduced. They also have stronger career goals, including a desire to pursue higher education.

Get On Board
Once you’ve identified your child’s interests and time commitments, you can look for places to volunteer. Contact organizations of interest. Let them know your child wants to volunteer. Be prepared to explain why your child chose their organization. Let them know how many hours a week/month your child can give. Discuss your child’s special talents (good with children, designs Web sites, loves animals, etc.). They may want volunteers to come in for a face-to-face interview or an orientation.

Your child should ask questions as well. How many volunteers do they have? Do volunteers receive training? What kinds of tasks/projects are available for volunteers? What are some of the challenges as well as the greatest rewards? Remember, you are looking for a good fit.

This summer, think about turning idle hands into helping hands. Your child will gain a sense of pride and belonging while making a real difference in our community. You just might start a great habit of giving that lasts a lifetime. Here are some resources to get your child in the volunteer spirit.

RESOURCES

Books
“The Busy Family’s Guide to Volunteering” by Jenny Friedman ($14.95)
Loads of ideas, books and resources to help families get involved in volunteering. Includes a checklist of volunteer activities for children of all ages.

“The Kid's Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference” by Barbara A. Lewis and Pamela Espeland ($12.95)
Great ideas for students, teachers and parents who want to make a difference but are not sure where to start. Ages 9-12.

“Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship” by Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger ($13.99)
A step-by-step guide to student involvement in social issues with tips, strategies and examples to get organized and start tackling important issues. For teenagers.

ONLINE

Family Education: Volunteering
life.familyeducation.com/volunteer-work/social-work/33599.html?detoured=1
Special section on volunteering with tips on how to get started and volunteer ideas for children and teens and ways for parents to help.

Greater DC Cares
www.dc-cares.org
Monthly calendar of high-impact projects at nonprofits across our region. Check out the extensive Students in Service: A Youth Volunteer's Guide to Greater Washington focused on opportunities for children 12-17 but includes opportunities for even younger children.

National Service learning Clearinghouse Resources for Kids and Teens
www.servicelearning.org
Project ideas and books for elementary, middle and high school students. Includes a short list of scholarships for students who perform community service.

Volunteer Match
www.volunteermatch.org
This Web site matches organizations with volunteers. Just use the advanced search feature and enter your zip code to find opportunities for children and teens.

Ed-Genuity offers a team of education consultants with expertise in areas such as curriculum development, parental involvement, professional development for teachers and counselors, leadership development for administrators and pre-college academic enrichment programs. They have worked extensively with schools, colleges, community organizations and churches. You can e-mail the Ed-Genuity team at ed_genuity@yahoo.com.


<--previous Page	Print This Page
Children Making A Difference
Finding the Perfect Volunteer Fit
by: Ed-Genuity Consultants
Summertime. School’s out and many students have lots of time on their hands. Why not fill some of those idle hours with volunteer work? Helping others boosts your child’s self-esteem while providing a vital service to our community. Here are some tips to help your child find the perfect volunteer opportunity. Match Your Interests Think about your child’s skills, interests and even career goals. Do you have an animal lover? The zoo or a local animal shelter might be a good choice. Maybe your caring, patient child could work with seniors or disabled children. Your book lover could help out at the library or tutor struggling readers. Love politics? It’s true that we have just wrapped up our DC elections. Try the 2008 presidential campaigns. They are already in full swing. Young people can still get involved – even if they are too young to vote. Perhaps the serious health issues of a friend or family member have deeply touched your child. Check out those groups that raise money for research or support people suffering with that illness. Try a local art gallery for your young artist or a hospital for your nurse-to-be. How about a theater for your would-be actor, or a newspaper for your budding writer? Take stock of your child’s personality. Your child who loves the outdoors would be miserable working in an office. However an Anacostia River cleanup project might be perfect. On the other hand, your “techie” youngster might thrive working on an environmental group’s Web site. Your outgoing child would probably be happy out front serving meals and talking with homeless families at a shelter. Your shy child, who also cares about hunger, might prefer more behind-the-scenes work like helping at the food bank. Check Your Schedule You need to determine what fits into your child’s schedule. Is your child attending summer school? Account for any outside activities like band, sports or a part-time job. It’s OK to start small. Many groups have one-time events like clothing drives or walkathons that don’t require a long-term commitment. These events are a great way for children to try a variety of projects and help them figure out what issues they really care about. A child who enjoyed serving Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter may choose to help out weekly at a local food bank. So don’t be surprised if your child’s volunteer time increases with his/her interest. Give and Grow Volunteering helps your child as much as the communities served. Some of the benefits are obvious. Your child will gain a greater sense of personal and social responsibility. Children feel more connected to and valued by their community. Self-esteem increases. When children recognize that one person can make a difference, they want to give back even more. Your child can also learn empathy and respect for people from other economic, ethnic, cultural or religious backgrounds. Some of volunteering’s other effects might surprise you. Children who volunteer are more motivated to learn. They pay greater attention to schoolwork. Drug abuse, teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors are reduced. They also have stronger career goals, including a desire to pursue higher education. Get On Board Once you’ve identified your child’s interests and time commitments, you can look for places to volunteer. Contact organizations of interest. Let them know your child wants to volunteer. Be prepared to explain why your child chose their organization. Let them know how many hours a week/month your child can give. Discuss your child’s special talents (good with children, designs Web sites, loves animals, etc.). They may want volunteers to come in for a face-to-face interview or an orientation. Your child should ask questions as well. How many volunteers do they have? Do volunteers receive training? What kinds of tasks/projects are available for volunteers? What are some of the challenges as well as the greatest rewards? Remember, you are looking for a good fit. This summer, think about turning idle hands into helping hands. Your child will gain a sense of pride and belonging while making a real difference in our community. You just might start a great habit of giving that lasts a lifetime. Here are some resources to get your child in the volunteer spirit. RESOURCES Books “The Busy Family’s Guide to Volunteering” by Jenny Friedman ($14.95) Loads of ideas, books and resources to help families get involved in volunteering. Includes a checklist of volunteer activities for children of all ages. “The Kid's Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference” by Barbara A. Lewis and Pamela Espeland ($12.95) Great ideas for students, teachers and parents who want to make a difference but are not sure where to start. Ages 9-12. “Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship” by Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger ($13.99) A step-by-step guide to student involvement in social issues with tips, strategies and examples to get organized and start tackling important issues. For teenagers. ONLINE Family Education: Volunteering life.familyeducation.com/volunteer-work/social-work/33599.html?detoured=1 Special section on volunteering with tips on how to get started and volunteer ideas for children and teens and ways for parents to help. Greater DC Cares www.dc-cares.org Monthly calendar of high-impact projects at nonprofits across our region. Check out the extensive Students in Service: A Youth Volunteer's Guide to Greater Washington focused on opportunities for children 12-17 but includes opportunities for even younger children. National Service learning Clearinghouse Resources for Kids and Teens www.servicelearning.org Project ideas and books for elementary, middle and high school students. Includes a short list of scholarships for students who perform community service. Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org This Web site matches organizations with volunteers. Just use the advanced search feature and enter your zip code to find opportunities for children and teens. Ed-Genuity offers a team of education consultants with expertise in areas such as curriculum development, parental involvement, professional development for teachers and counselors, leadership development for administrators and pre-college academic enrichment programs. They have worked extensively with schools, colleges, community organizations and churches. You can e-mail the Ed-Genuity team at ed_genuity@yahoo.com.