Volunteer as a Family

Today, families are finding new ways to spend time together—and volunteering is one way to do just that. Involving families can be an important incentive to getting people to volunteer, and United Ways and other organizations looking to diversify or increase their volunteer pool might consider adapting their volunteer opportunities to include families by:

• Asking current and prospective volunteers if they are interested in volunteering with their families
• Advertising projects as "family-friendly"
• Asking corporate volunteer programs to expand involvement to employee families
• Listing family opportunities with the local UnitedWay Volunteer Center

• Learning more about family friendly volunteering

Benefits of Family Volunteering

There are many proven benefits of family volunteering. Research has shown that volunteering as a family:

•  Helps families learn about social issues and provides a new perspective on the world
• Provides positive role models and passes on family values to children
• Provides new learning experiences and development of new skills for both children and adults
• Provides quality time for the family to spend together
• Increases interpersonal communication and the problem-solving abilities of family members
• Helps youth decide what they want to do with their life
• Improves the likelihood that children will volunteer as an adult

Family volunteering can also benefit businesses through:

• Improved morale and positive attitudes among employees
• Reinforcing teamwork and breaking down barriers
• Adding an extra dimension of sharing, caring and creating  sense of community among employees
• Quality time for families through learning opportunities and positive role modeling for children
• Skill development in leadership, problem-solving, public speaking and improved organizational skills
• Demonstration of company commitment to the communities in which they do business

 Why Children Should Volunteer

"It is such a great feeling to be able to get outside out do some good in my community, especially when my friends are right by my side!" -- Heidi Smith, Grand Haven MI, who volunteered in Greater Ottawa County United Way’s annual "Rake a Difference" event.

Kids feel great and have fun when they volunteer. Here are other reasons why children should volunteer:

1. Enhances Development. Volunteering can benefit a child’s psychological, social and intellectual development. Volunteering increases self-esteem, responsibility and an interest in learning and helps children develop new social skills. It also provides opportunities to apply newly learned material.
2. Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle and Choices -- Children who volunteer are less likely to become involved in at-risk behaviors.
3. Teaches Social Responsibility – Volunteering helps children develop empathy and learn that one person can make a difference.
4. Creates a lifelong ethic of service. Individuals who volunteer as a child or who observed their parents volunteering have a much higher probability of being a volunteer in their adult years.
5. Improves the community. Volunteer activities are essential for advancing the common good, and children can be part of the change.