Among the many opportunities homeschoolers find themselves provided with as a result of their schedule, volunteering is one of the best to take advantage of. After all, not having any structured school day opens up just about any volunteer position that is appropriate for your student’s age, and the benefits of volunteering are enormous, if not monetary.
Volunteering will teach your child many important life skills. Not only will it add that critical element of socialization with those of his or her own age, plus those older and younger, it will give him or her more specific skills. A student working on a website will develop web design skills, while students who work at an animal shelter could become expert cleaners, dog trainers, cat groomers, customer service representatives, and more. Many positive personality traits like persistence, commitment, and the ability to work in a team are learned in a volunteer environment. Finally, volunteering also provides an amazing sense of charitable giving and selflessness that will benefit your child enormously later on in life.
Volunteer experience is also rewarding when it comes time to apply for college. Depending on your method of homeschooling, you may have trouble applying for college in the traditional means. Having an impressive portfolio of volunteer experiences will benefit your child and help him or her stand out from the crowd in another positive way.
Volunteering is a great way of testing different careers, too. The child who wants to be a veterinarian may find out that he faints at the sight of blood once he volunteers at an animal clinic, and a child who didn’t think she liked the outdoors may find herself assisting with a sports festival and having much more fun than she anticipated.
Finding volunteer opportunities in the community is easier than you might think. Just about every community has volunteer groups who are desperate for help, and a mature child is often welcome in many capacities, either on their own or with you to help. Teenagers can volunteer on their own most of the time, but the rules about younger children vary. Generally, kids under sixteen or thirteen years of age have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Ask around the community, look at volunteer opportunity listings at your local town hall, search online, and ask any charitable organizations if they are asking for help. With a little work, you can find a volunteer position that suits your child’s age, talents and interests.
Keeping track of volunteer commitments is equally important, particularly if your child plans to go to college or get into any field where volunteer references will be important. Keep some kind of notebook or spreadsheet dedicated to listing the volunteer activity, date range, hours contributed, and a contact who can verify your child’s participation. You will thank yourself later for this!
Volunteering is a fantastic way to take advantage of the freedom that comes with homeschooling while giving back to the community and helping your child learn important life skills.