Doing good together: Find your volunteer position for the whole family
“One good deed a day”. Whether it’s just a smile that we give to others or the support of a fellow human being – doing good feels good . And this positive effect ranges from the impact on our environment and ourselves to our fellow human beings. We can be a role model , especially for younger generations . But you can also involve your child in good deeds – for example, by volunteering . You can broaden your horizons together through voluntary work: If you involve your child or several children in the tasks, you can discover the world together, learn new things, and develop your awareness of yourself and others. In this story, we reveal the advantages that volunteering can have as a family, what voluntary positions there are and give you tips on how you as a family manager can find the right voluntary work for you and combine it with sporting activities, for example.
These are the advantages of finding the right volunteer position as a family
For active families who want to grow together and make a positive contribution to society , volunteering opens up a special path: Volunteer work and social engagement with children and young people brings people together , promotes the common good and enriches one's own life through the joy of giving. But if you look more closely, the benefits go much further.
Strengthening family ties:
- Joint activities bring people together and promote mutual support.
- Shared memories and positive experiences can shape family relationships.
- Parents can teach their children important values such as charity and social commitment in a practical way.
Personal development:
- Children learn social skills such as empathy, teamwork and responsibility.
- The self-confidence of children and young people is strengthened as they discover and develop their skills and talents.
- The whole family makes a valuable contribution to society and helps other people.
Variety and fun:
Families experience new things together and discover new interests .
- Volunteering brings variety to everyday family life – shared activities provide relaxation and bring joy.
Education and knowledge:
- Children and young people learn about different topics and cultures through play .
- Volunteer activities can strengthen work skills such as communication, problem solving and teamwork.
- Families gain access to new networks and information .
Positive impacts on the community:
- Families contribute to strengthening social cohesion in the community
- Children get to know people from different backgrounds
- Families can actively participate in shaping their environment
In addition, many volunteer activities are free or inexpensive . Families can plan their volunteer work during the holidays, for example, or adapt it to their schedule. And there is a wide range of volunteer work that is suitable for children, young people and adults - in other words, for all family members.
The best thing about volunteering? Doing good together.
The Dextro tip: your own sporting event for a good cause
Sport or physical activity not only plays a major role in the health of the whole family, but can also be an opportunity to do something good together . Voluntary sports action days offer an excellent platform for this: families can get actively involved and make a contribution to the community.
Leisure and sports with children :
- Training for children's or youth teams : Parents and older children can get involved in a sports club and train or supervise others. The shared activity promotes family ties, team spirit and discipline.
- Charity run : A great idea for a sports day and a way to organize crowdfunding in the neighborhood is a charity run: Participants can find people from their family, friends and neighborhood in advance who are willing to donate a certain amount for each lap they run. This sports event promotes community and ambition and promises a real sense of achievement afterwards.
- Sports equipment exchange: Together with a sports club or school in your area, you can organize a sports equipment exchange. Donating or exchanging used sports equipment makes sport more accessible to everyone. From flyer design and advertising to finding a location and working on the actual event: the whole family can get involved in the announcement and organization, as well as the implementation.
- Renovating playgrounds and sports facilities : If you're interested in doing some hands-on projects, ask your local community about improving and maintaining public playgrounds and sports areas. This could include painting lines on playing fields, cleaning facilities or repairing playground equipment.
Further steps into volunteering – ideal volunteer projects for families
In addition to voluntary sports activities, parents and children can do good together in many other ways. Whether young schoolchildren or teenagers - families with children of different ages can start voluntary work such as collecting donations for a good cause, crowdfunding , helping their neighbours and protecting the environment or animals . As with sports action days, you always have the option of organising your voluntary work yourself . Or you can find it at aid organisations and institutions.
Volunteer or neighborhood help :
- Offers of help for elderly or needy neighbors : Help in the neighborhood can be, for example, assistance with shopping, cooking or gardening.
- Organizing neighborhood parties : This not only promotes exchange and togetherness – you could organize a cake sale and donate the money earned.
Environmental protection:
- Deposit and garbage collection campaigns : Organize a garbage collection campaign in your community - this is how you can contribute to keeping the environment clean. Tip: You can donate any deposit bottles and cans that you find to bottle collectors.
- Tree planting campaigns : Whether with an organization, in consultation with a forestry office or in your own garden – you can plant trees together as a family and thus make a contribution to climate protection.
Of course, there are also many different ways to get in touch with organizations or institutions that offer volunteer programs:
Volunteer work in social institutions:
- Old people's homes, children's homes or homeless shelters : see if you can find any residential facilities near you - many of these institutions can always use support and are happy to receive visitors.
- Animal shelters or nature reserves : Animals and the environment need protection. There is a lot to discover and learn in animal shelters or nature reserves. A nice family activity would be walking dogs or helping to build bird and insect houses.
Participation in actions of aid organizations :
- Fundraising campaigns : You can support voluntary organizations through more than just monetary donations. Set aside a weekend as a family to sort out old clothes, toys and other useful items - many organizations are happy to receive donations in kind.
- Demonstrations and rallies : Sometimes it helps to just show support. Stand together for important issues like peace, justice and environmental protection by attending safe, child-friendly events that demand good things.
Why not ask around in the family : perhaps you can find a volunteer position that suits the interests and skills of all family members. It's always best to start with smaller projects - you can always do more later.
Don’t forget to take breaks – with delicious Dextro Energy* snacks
The company Dextro Energy* supports various voluntary and charitable activities of employees and also external events with product donations . From the Dextrose Mix Pack with delicious cubes in various flavors to practical minis and energy gums* to the delicious liquid gel with liquid carbohydrates: we ensure that everyday heroes are always well supplied.
Start your family volunteering project now
Whether it's a sports day, a cake sale or crowdfunding - with the many different opportunities for volunteering, every family member will find something fun to do . Why not suggest a few options to your family at your next Sunday breakfast or dinner together? Maybe you can think of even more activities . You can often find more options on the official website of your hometown . Let's go!
* contains carbohydrates
A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
SOURCES:
https://stadt.muenchen.de/infos/ehrenamt-nden.html
https://www.deinehrenamt.de/warum-ehrenamt
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm
https://www.deinehrenamt.de/Start
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