When life gets extra busy with school, work, and after-school activities, it’s easy to forget about the bigger issues going on in the world. But taking time to volunteer and giving what we can to those in need is immensely important — and there’s no better time to learn this than the teen years!
In this post, we’ll discuss five ways that parents can encourage their teens to get involved in volunteering activities that will help them grow into responsible citizens of their community.
1. Explain Why Volunteering Is Needed
The first step towards getting your child involved in volunteering is making them aware of why it’s needed. You can have open discussions with your teens about important issues. This could be anything from feeding the hungry, caring for neglected animals, or finding cures for serious medical conditions. Even better, you can watch documentaries with your teens about these topics so they can have a deeper understanding. This will flow nicely into conversations about the need for volunteering and how your family can directly contribute to any one of these good causes.
2. Give Them Independence
One thing most parents want to avoid is the “I’m only doing this cause my mom told me to do it” mindset from kids. We want our kids to volunteer, but we also want them to want to volunteer. A great way to mitigate this is by allowing them to make it their own experience as much as possible. Give them the freedom to make decisions when it comes to where they volunteer and what they do.
Teens can do research on organizations in their local area that they feel drawn to. Not only can this get them more pumped about the idea of volunteering, but it also fosters a sense of initiative and responsibility.
3. Lead by Example
As with most things, kids often learn what to value by watching their parents. We often advise parents to watch their own screen time habits if they want their kids to have a healthy relationship with tech as well. The same goes for volunteering — consider finding time to volunteer yourself to be an example for your kid.
Another important point to remember is that leading by example isn’t just about showing up for an occasional volunteering event. It also involves instilling values such as empathy and compassion in everyday life so that these qualities become second nature for your teen. Be vocal about how much you appreciate their efforts when they choose to volunteer, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at first glance. This will help them understand just how important their contribution truly is and fuel their motivation to continue volunteering.
4. Help Them Choose Something They’re Passionate About
There are tons of ways to volunteer, so why not choose something that’s connected with what they already enjoy? Have your teen explore their interests, skills, and passions to determine which opportunities may be a good fit for them. If your teen has a particular hobby or talent — such as cooking or photography — encourage them to find organizations that align with those interests so that they can put their skills to use while making a difference.
5. Incorporate Fun and Games Into Volunteering for Teens
Jumping into a volunteer situation may not come naturally for all kids — if they feel a little awkward, that’s completely normal! Something that can help is finding volunteer events that involve games or fun activities.
For instance, you can have teens play trivia or guessing games during donation drives. These are great ways to keep volunteers engaged while still supporting the mission of the event. Another option could be looking into volunteering with younger kids — this almost always involves playing fun games and activities with the kids that teens can easily help facilitate.
How to Find Safe Volunteering Opportunities for Teens
As a parent, you want to be sure your child is safe when they’re volunteering. Researching organizations in advance can help identify any red flags as well as provide insight into how reputable they are within your local community.
Start by looking up reviews online. Check out websites like Charity Navigator or GuideStar, which provide ratings based on itransparency of finances, mission, and board leadership. These rankings can give you an idea of each organization’s track record when it comes to quality service delivery — so make sure you take the time necessary to explore these before signing up.
There are also a couple of other additional safety measures that you should look for when it comes to teen volunteering. Do background checks exist for staff members? Is there an age limit set for volunteers? Are appropriate supervision protocols followed during group activities? Knowing this information upfront will give parents peace of mind knowing their teen is being taken care of at all times.
Keep Your Teens Safe With the Bark App
If you want to ensure your kids are safe both while volunteering and round-the-clock, Bark has got you covered! With Bark, you can monitor what your kids are looking at online and who they're talking to — giving you peace of mind knowing everyone stays safer. Start your free trial of Bark today!
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