Step by Step Guide to family volunteering

What is family volunteering?

Family volunteering occurs when family members volunteer together in community service activities.  They may come from different generations, in combinations such as parent/child or grandparent/parent/child, or from same generation, such as adult partners, or brother/sister.

Why do or would families volunteer?

A very strong reason for families to volunteer together is that parents want to raise their children to believe that everyone has a responsibility to their family, friends, neighbours and community.  All families that volunteer make a conscious effort to be active and to meet with others with similar values.  Families are also aware that volunteering is an activity that can help build & sustain relationships within the family unit.

How families benefit from volunteering

o    They gain a shared sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from giving back to the community.
o    Volunteering creates positive role models for children and youth.
o    Volunteering builds the self-confidence of family members.
o    Volunteering creates a history of family memories.
o    Volunteering makes families feel valued.
o    Families can make new friends.
o    Volunteering develops family pride.

How communities benefit from family volunteering

o    Volunteering offers a potential for on-going change:  children who volunteer become adults who volunteer.
o    Volunteering teaches the value of service and involvement in the community.
o    Families become more responsible and involved.
o    Families help to build an active community.
o    Families have potential for finding solutions to their communities problems.


Volunteering Ideas for Families

•    Inviting a housebound or elderly neighbour for dinner
•    Shopping for a housebound person
•   Special Olympics
•   Donating Clothes or toys
•   Cleaning up the local environment
•   Helping at a shelter or soup kitchen
•   Writing for a community newsletter
•   Painting and making repairs at a community centre
•  Delivering meals on wheels
•  Helping with Christmas Hampers

Kerry Volunteer Centre is more than happy to assist groups on an individual basis issues related to family volunteering and we can be contacted as follows;

Telephone:  066 7117966

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

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A copy of this step by step guide is available in PDF format from our website