Posts Tagged ‘Family Volunteerism’

Family Volunteering Benefits Everyone!

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

Chances are, if you’re spending time volunteering and reaping the benefits, you’ll want to tell everyone! Why not get those closest to you in on the action with family volunteering? Proponents of family volunteering have stated that the benefits to families from family volunteering include sharing quality time together, transmission of values, modeling of compassion and civic engagement by parents, and improved communication between family members.

Family members can utilize their talents to work on an issue they feel passionate about. Family volunteering also teaches children the values of kindness, making others feel good, and giving back.

The benefits of volunteering together as a family are many! Several themes stand out as reasons why families should volunteer together. Family volunteering:

  • Brings the family closer together.
  • Creates a value system strengthened by volunteering. It is good for children to see parents involved.
  • Builds extended family among youth and other youth, as well as youth and adults.
  • Gives something back to the volunteer. Volunteering provides a strong sense of  self-satisfaction, which makes the whole family feel good.
  • Shows strength in numbers. When a family works together, they can get more done than an individual!
  • Helps to improve family communication.
  • Benefits youth. Volunteering benefits kids on several levels, such as helping with job and college applications
  • Gives children a chance to see how lucky they are. Parents are pleased to give the children a reason to focus on someone other than themselves.
  • Provides a positive influence to the people helped.
  • Is fun! Volunteering is a social activity and gives children something to do, especially in those long summer days.

family volunteering, green, volunteeringRespondents to a survey of families who volunteer conducted by the Points of Light Foundation Volunteer Center National Network indicated that:

  • Almost half volunteer with their family as frequently as every few months.
  • The majority of families were satisfied with their accomplishments and enjoyed the day.
  • Most felt that volunteering has given them a new perspective on the world.
  • Two-thirds of youth felt that volunteering has helped them decide what they want to do with their life.
  • Volunteering helped them to share values and talk more easily with their family, and it allows them to spend quality time together.

Do you volunteer with your family? Are you volunteering with your family for the first time this weekend? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Posted in Family Volunteering, Volunteerism | 4 Comments »

9 Reasons to Volunteer as a Family

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

According to The Civic and Political Health of the Nation: A Generational Portrait, young people who are raised in homes that family members who volunteer are involved in civic and political activity from volunteering to campaigning for a cause. Adult volunteers in a home can inspire young people to volunteer either on their own or as part of group.

Volunteering as a family can show the younger members of the family the importance of being engaged in the community, and can have a number of benefits for the family.

  • volunteer, volunteering, family volunteeringFamily volunteering can bring the family closer together. Family volunteering provides a shared experience that can help to build and strengthen family bonds.
  • Values are strengthened by volunteering. Family volunteering gives parents the opportunity to model behavior that they are trying to instill in their children.
  • Volunteering as a family can provide self-satisfaction. When everyone in the family is working towards a common goal at their volunteer event, it can provide a sense of self–satisfaction to everyone involved.
  • Strength in numbers. When a family volunteers together, even the littlest hands can make big tasks easier. Families that volunteer together can get more done together than an individual working alone.
  • Benefits to youth. Youth who volunteer frequently can benefit from their family volunteer experiences when applying for jobs or college.
  • Children see another side of life. Children that volunteer outside of their home and neighborhood get to see a different part of life than they normally see.
  • Having a positive impact. Families that volunteer together get to see the positive impact that they have by volunteering when they reflect on their volunteer experience together.
  • Family volunteering is fun! Volunteering as a family can be a social experience and give everyone an experience that is outside of their day-to-day life of work and school.

There are a host of benefits that families who volunteer together gain from the experience. There are some costs to family, such as adding stress to family life, but in Family Volunteering: An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Families, only about 25% of families that volunteer agreed that volunteering makes their life more hectic. The benefits of volunteering as a family seem to outweigh the potential costs.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering as a family? How often does your family volunteer? What types of volunteer activities does your family like to do best? Let us know in the comments!

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Posted in Volunteering | 2 Comments »

Family Volunteer Ideas

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

National Family Volunteer Day happens every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year, it will take place on November 20, 2010. Now would be a good time to get ready for it by planning a project for your family. The following ideas for volunteering as a family come from our Tampa Bay affiliate, HandsOn Tampa Bay.

National Family Volunteer Day was created to inspire families with children young and old to give back, in any way they choose; volunteering with a local nonprofit, helping neighbors in need, or picking up litter at the local playground.

The growing movement makes it easy to nurture a tradition of family service and shows children that they can make a difference!

Think about organizing your own family volunteer project.

HandsOn Tampa Bay offers a few easy project ideas that can be done your own home or neighborhood since visiting an agency with small children can sometimes be overwhelming (for you and for them!)

  • Donate Clothes for School Age Children Contact friends and family about your project and set a date and time to collect clean, wearable clothing for children and teenagers of all sizes. Supplies needed: boxes to hold the clothes. Time needed: 10 hours to plan, promote, accept and deliver donations.
  • Knit Hats for the Homeless For ages 8-99. Supplies needed are: yarn. Time needed is up to you. Knit hats for people living in shelters or on the street.
  • Create Snack Packs for Ronald McDonald House Residents For ages 6-99. Supplies needed are 1-gallon food storage bags, snack items like fruit cups, granola bars, trail mix, chewing gum. Maybe add a puzzle book and a pen. Time needed is shopping time and 2 hours to assemble and deliver. Parents of children in the hospital spend their days at the hospital. Having a snack pack with them saves them a trip to the vending machine or cafeteria.
  • Toiletries for the Homeless For ages 6-99. Supplies needed are 1or 2-gallon size food storage bags, soap, washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, emery board, safety pins, shampoo, lotion, sewing kit, razor, etc. Set up an assembly line to fill the bags and have each child place each item in the bags. Time needed is shopping time and 2 hours to assemble and deliver.
  • Conduct a School Supply Drive For ages 5-99. Supplies needed are backpacks, notebooks, pencils, folders, crayons, etc. Time needed is shopping, collecting, delivery time, (approximately 10 hours). Contact friends and family about your project and set a date and time to collect supplies.
  • Host a Pet Food/Pet Toy Drive For ages 5-99. Set up a collection point, promote with family and friends.
  • Create Greeting Cards For ages 5-99. Supplies needed are paper, markers, stickers, envelopes. Time needed is 2-3 hours to make cards and deliver to nursing homes, VA hospitals, Shriners.
  • Pick Up Litter at Your Neighborhood Park For ages 8-99 Supplies needed are trash bags, gloves, rakes. Time needed is 2 hours. Leave your tied, filled bags near trash receptacle at park.
  • “Adopt” a Neighborhood Senior or Disabled Person Help them with yard work, errands and meals.  For ages 10-99 Supplies needed are yard tools. Time needed is 1-3 hours.
  • Book Drive Gather new or gently used books for children staying in shelters For ages 5-99. Time needed is 10 hours.
  • Welcome to the Neighborhood When a new family moves into the neighborhood make a welcome card, list of fun places locally, school calendar, and library information. For ages 5-99. Supplies needed are construction paper, markers. Time needed is 3 hours. Deliver to your new neighbor.

Tags: Children Youth & Family, , ,
Posted in Equip, Mobilize, Service, Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Management, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 3 Comments »

Everything Changes When You Volunteer with Your Kids

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Maureen Byrne, Director, Youth and Family Engagement, generationOn

I love to be around babies.  Coming from a family of nine children, I spent a good amount of time taking caring of babies and became a sought after babysitter in my neighborhood because of my experience.   My daughter developed a similar love for babies holding and cuddling her 16 cousins.   Later, in middle school, my daughter became a certified Red Cross babysitter.  She quickly whipped up a resume, and made flyers announcing her passion, experience and availability but she was too young to take care of babies on her own and had no customers.  By high school, all of her cousins had grown up and she routinely lamented the fact that there were no more babies to hold.

When she found out that we could volunteer at a home that helps homeless teen moms with newborns, she jumped at the chance.  It was a shared interest and the time worked for both of us — early evening.  It was not too far away.  As a working mom, I can always use more opportunities to spend “quality time” with my teenage daughter.   For two hours each week, we held and fed the teen mom’s babies.  Unlike me, my daughter liked changing diapers!  At the end of the evening, she reported to the moms how “it” went and they appreciated her comments about their adorable and well-behaved babies.

By volunteering together, my daughter learned more than what it means to care for a newborn.  She learned how helping others can be transformative.  She developed confidence in herself and her abilities.  She encouraged a few of her friends to join her and demonstrated leadership by advising the other teen sitters.  I appreciated the interaction she had with the older teen moms from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.  I noticed the way my daughter felt needed, that her efforts were valued.    Volunteering together and knowing it provided a meaningful service for the moms, who had to go to class or work as a requirement to live at the home brought us closer together.  Our discussions about the babies, their moms, their parenting styles and the difficulties of being a teen mom made me feel closer to my daughter.

Our experience made me realize that volunteering with your kids has big benefits.  It teaches children the values of kindness, compassion, tolerance and community responsibility.  Family members use their talents to work on an issue they feel passionate about and feel valued for their contributions.  It strengthens communication and allows family members to be role models.  It builds shared memories.   It helps your community. ( and it is fun!)

To make the most out of volunteering as a family, check out these tips:

  • Find a volunteer activity that fits your family’s interests, schedules and that the kids can help plan.
  • Start small.  Consider a one-time event such as Family Volunteer Day or a short-term activity, before making a long-term commitment.
  • Find out what’s expected.   Ask about age requirements, safety considerations, and appropriate dress.  Attend orientation or training sessions if offered.
  • Show up on time.  Be ready to do what is needed.
  • Be patient with small children and keep them involved by praising their efforts.
  • Afterwards, talk about the experience on your drive home or during a family meal. Talk about what you did, why you did it, how it felt, and what you learned.  Celebrate your efforts. It will make all of you feel like doing it again.
  • Keep a family-volunteering scrapbook or create a family volunteering calendar. Get input from all family members in planning future activities.
  • Encourage other families you know to participate with you.

The experience of spending time with my daughter doing something we both enjoyed, worked well for both of us.

And now, she has more babysitting offers than her teenage social life permits!

Want to try family volunteering?

  • Call your department of social services to learn about your community’s needs.
  • Check out FamilyCares for family friendly project ideas.
  • Go to Kids Care Clubs learn how you can start a service club with your children and their peers.
  • Check out Doing Good Together’s family service ideas.
  • Find a HandsOn Action Center near you for volunteer activities and other resources for family volunteering .

This post was originally published as a guest post on Blogher.com.

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Posted in Education, Equip, Get HandsOn, Inspire, Mobilize, News & Links, Service, Volunteer Reflection, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

6 Ways Family Volunteering Benefits Businesses

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

1. Family Volunteering increases employee morale and builds a positive attitude in the workplace.

2. Family Volunteering improves the workplace by breaking down barriers among employees, reinforcing teamwork and building commitment.

3. Family Volunteering in the workplace adds an extra dimension of sharing, caring and creates a sense of community among employees.

4. Family Volunteering enhances quality time for families by allowing learning opportunities and positive role modeling for children.

5. Family Volunteering provides opportunity for skill development in such areas as leadership, problem-solving, and public speaking, as well as improved organizational skills.

6. Family Volunteering has a positive impact on a company’s image in the community and demonstrates the commitment of a company and its employees to the communities in which it is doing business.

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Posted in Service, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 3 Comments »