Photo by Maria Lin Kim on Unsplash
Grocery shopping for the house-bound is just one of many volunteer opportunities for teens.
I’m already thinking about summer and what my young teens could do beyond just fun activities. There are some jobs like babysitting and yard work, but beyond this there aren’t too many jobs for children this age. Where are some places they could do some volunteer activities?
— For Volunteering
Volunteering is a worthwhile experience for young teens. It can be an opportunity to explore career paths by stepping into a new environment. There are some summer volunteer opportunities even for young teens in most communities. You can find opportunities for young teens with parks and recreation departments, food banks, soup kitchens, animal shelters, nonprofit organizations, and local libraries.
You and your young teens can easily get an idea of what opportunities exist by searching for “volunteer opportunities for children” online, or you can be more specific and search for a specific age. You will find loads of websites with suggestions about things that they can do. Some cities, usually larger ones, have websites that list volunteer opportunities for teens.
Besides volunteering in person, there are many opportunities to be an online virtual volunteer. Both of you can explore these opportunities online. There is online tutoring, calling and checking on senior citizens (as well as playing online games with them), being a pen pal to younger children, advocating for a cause, starting a fundraiser, and much more.
Young teens can also get together with their friends to create items for the homeless or others in need. They can sew blankets, knit socks, and put together bags of needed items, from clothes to food. They can also grocery shop for the house-bound and raise funds for a particular cause.
One thing that is great about young teens volunteering is that it starts them on the road to a lifetime of volunteering. Furthermore, studies show that volunteering tends to make them happier and increase their self-confidence, and they may even learn some new skills. And in volunteering they get a feeling of satisfaction that they have made a difference by meeting real needs in their community.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com. To learn more about helping children succeed in school, visit the Dear Teacher website.
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