Second Time Around Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hi, My son is excitedly preparing for his first major volunteer experience with the Student Conservation Association - working in the Allegheny National Forest this summer. He is just finishing up 10th grade, and hoping to head towards some form of career either in forestry, parks or some other nature/animal based activity. He researched and found this opportunity by himself, and is now hyped about building on this for his final two years of high school (hopefully saving up money before college to participate in something even more 'exotic'. While he found this himself, I also (later) purchased several books on the topic from Amazon.com. There is a lot out there, even for minors to get involved in! Anyway, I was posting this because I am genuinely interested in hearing what kinds of volunteer activities your children have engaged in and how they came about. What did they like the most, and what experiences would they have avoided if they had known more at the time. Hopefully, this will give some inspiration to homeschool teens everywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMary2 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 My son volunteers at a local private zoo. He hauls feed, scoops poop and he gets to feed many of the animals. Last year a Kinkajou bit him. He likes to tell that story, because it isn't everyday you meet someone that was bit by a Kinkajou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Second Time Around Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Cool! Does the zoo have a special program, or did he just approach them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Ds2 volunteered at the costume shop at a local history museum, sewing and repairing costumes. This let to a volunteer position at the repair shed for a mock 17th century ship. This, of course, led to him sailing on the ship and learning to handle sails out on the yardarms WAY up the mast. And this led to his current job making and repairing sails at a sail loft.....you never know where volunteer positions may lead! (And the position at the sail loft led to his crewing in yacht races all over the Chesapeake!) Dd1 volunteered as a docent at a history museum, which led to her being asked to write a guide for a particular exhibit. The guide was actually published! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Second Time Around Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 These are all so wonderful! Kudos to each one of them! Love this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 One of mine spent a month in a temple in Japan finishing an apartment for the old nun to live in. The other ran crow hops across the US on a Native American sacred run. The other other lol installed a windmill on someone's house. Those are probably the most spectacular. Oldest thought one of the most fun was going to a local nursing home for dancing lessons with the seniors. Thankfully, all of those were safer than wild-fires and raging rivers. Thank goodness for people like Margret's children. We need them so badly... Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Mine did a fund raiser for Wounded Warrior Project last year. He tied it together with his own baseball play and did a strikeout for the summer rec season. He had a website, wrote emails, collected funds ($5,000). His plan is to do something similar this summer but with different variables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Second Time Around Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 How do you get them excited about this?? Everything I suggest with my middle one gets shot down. We've done several things as a family. He has no interest in any of them. I'm about to make him do something in June. I would love for it to be something he wants to do, but nothing peaks his interest. Does he have any idea about what he would like to do after high school/college? Perhaps that would be the first place to start. He must have some interest in something, even if it is just video games or tv! Whatever that interest is, perhaps you could find if there is something locally where he could deepen his connection with it - find a professional mentor etc. Another idea is to assign some kind of project that you think he might get caught up in -i.e. have him read up articles in a paper about a particular topic - political campaigning, social situation etc. - just something that might spark an interest. You may have to help fan the flames after that, by finding ways to help him channel that kernel of interest. The idea is probably less about them going out and finding all the opportunities that exist out there initially, than them simply learning that they do exist, and they have the capacity to contribute to them. I'm sure every kid has a certain level of fear and lethargy that initially has to be overcome before they feel sufficiently confident and motivated to get involved in something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Second Time Around Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 He loves politics QUOTE] Well, if he loves politics, start having discussions with him (or find others willing to do so) on specific issues that you know will get him fired up, or about the books he is reading. Explore different ways that he could get more involved with a particular issue. Perhaps the student government thing sounds too generic to him, and too much responsibility/leadership/spotlight/interaction with others. To begin with, he may not even need to leave the house. If, for instance, he had very definite ideas about homelessness, he could perhaps do research, write letters, start a campaign/fundraising effort. Yes, he is going to have to leave the house at some point. But to begin with, perhaps let him find ways to feel confident about himself and his abilities so that he realizes that he can actually make a difference, and has unique qualities to bring to the table. It may start slowly and painfully (with a bit of pressure from you), but hopefully it will begin to snowball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 My 16 and 14 yo volunteer weekly in classrooms for students with special needs. They hold the children, sing with them, teach/practice sign language, help with transporting, etc. In the summer, they help at a camp for special needs kiddos, too. They run stations of activities, wheel kiddos around, help with feeding, etc. They just accompanied some of them to Special Olympics this past week. Older dd also assists in a program that takes two of the students to a class of "typical peers" in K every other week or so. Neither one has an interest in teaching. We really think younger should be a PT, ST, or school psychologist, because she is incredibly empathetic and effective with the students, but no. :( Older dd, the future engineer, is in the process of starting a program for higher functioning students to work with regular ed peers on robotics teams in the middle and high school. Most of the funding is in place, and we are getting ready to hold a meeting for those who have signed up interested. So I guess that will tie the interests together. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 For my kids, the "interesting" part of their volunteering came after somewhere between 1-6 years of either volunteering or prior skill development, none of which looked like it was leading anywhere interesting! in other words, my big piece of advice is to help your kid find SOMETHING he finds remotely interesting, even if it isn't "interesting" and looks like a dead-end. (Who knew that kite-flying could open international doors for my son? Kite-flying certainly sounds like a dead end......) If he likes to read, could he volunteer or work at a local library? (Ours lets kids over 12 volunteer and lets kids over 16 work.) If he is interested in politics, is there a local homeschool debate club he could join? A local Toastmasters Club that is open to having teens join? Could he volunteer for a candidate in a local race? One local political organization in our area is absolutely desperate to have people join so it can send the # of delegates to the convention that it is entitled to -- literally anyone over 18 who steps up can be a delegate to the state convention!!! So joining an organization may not just involve licking stamps, though if licking stamps is done well it too can lead to other more interesting things..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 What does he do with his spare time: read. ... He is good with little kids, but he doesn't want to work with them because he says he would kill the misbehaving ones... Sigh... Could he run a book club in the after school program at a local elementary school? If they were voluntarily in a book club, perhaps they would be less likely to be hooligans. Or could he tutor kids in reading? Read to kids at the children's hospital? There has to be some way to combine those two interests. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Nope, doesn't have a clue. He loves politics and I thought he would enjoy AP Government. Nope, hates the class. Still reads about politics. Our town is starting a youth government that will be open to all high school students. They specifically mentioned that homeschoolers will be welcome. They will work in coordination with the city council. I mentioned it and he was horrified. (It would mean leaving the house.) Serve in a political campaign. He'd probably have to do this in the fall, but he could call around now. He needs to understand that he'll likely start with somewhat boring jobs, but good, faithful, and smart volunteers often go up the chain of command fast in a political campaign. What does he do with his spare time: read. They only get to play video games on the weekend. He does so, but honestly, it doesn't rule his life. If he doesn't get to play, he could care less. His only activity is youth group and he loves that, though he feels very different there. The other kids like him, his youth leader likes him, but he feels like an outsider. His older brother also says it is all in his mind. He thinks he is stupid compared to older brother. NOT TRUE. He is doing quite well at cc. ( He says anyone could that those that are flunking just don't care. You don't have to be smart. You just have to do the work. If I can do it, you don't have to be smart.) He is good with little kids, but he doesn't want to work with them because he says he would kill the misbehaving ones... Sigh... In the end he must chose. If you like tie it to something, either school work directly or to something he does want to do. The other thing to do is to get him around other kids who are passionate about their activity. I've seen that sort of passion can often excite a similar response in my own son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 My twin boys volunteer for church service activities, community youth football events, and our local National Cherry Festival (as the service clean-up crew). Blessings, Camy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Hi, My son is excitedly preparing for his first major volunteer experience with the Student Conservation Association - working in the Allegheny National Forest this summer. He is just finishing up 10th grade, and hoping to head towards some form of career either in forestry, parks or some other nature/animal based activity. He researched and found this opportunity by himself, and is now hyped about building on this for his final two years of high school (hopefully saving up money before college to participate in something even more 'exotic'. While he found this himself, I also (later) purchased several books on the topic from Amazon.com. There is a lot out there, even for minors to get involved in! Anyway, I was posting this because I am genuinely interested in hearing what kinds of volunteer activities your children have engaged in and how they came about. What did they like the most, and what experiences would they have avoided if they had known more at the time. Hopefully, this will give some inspiration to homeschool teens everywhere! One son is a constumed 1st person interpretor at a local historic site. 1st person means that he assumes a persona for the day and acts and behaves as much as a child of that era would. Older two volunteer with VBS every year. They've helped with decorations, prepping packets of materials for crafts, skits for the Bible stories and games. Both were specifically asked back after their first year. We all volunteer with our local Friends of the Library booksale. It takes 3-4 days to set up and a full day to put things away. Plus we usually work at 1-2 days of the sale. Great fun, plus it gives us first crack at the books and we've met some really interesting people. Edited May 14, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I think, by far, my kids' most interesting volunteer work has been mission trips. All but one was pursued by my kids themselves and involved work they are interested in. Trips have included building mission trips to another state, trips to Haiti for water projects and medical missions, trips to Africa for need-based and medical missions. Locally, my kids volunteer in their interest area: at the hospital (the job was not interesting but the people my son worked with were), as a coach and downtown in an unorganized but student-driven outreach to the homeless. I actively encourage my kids to find volunteer work above charitable work they might do for a neighbor or through their youth group. We've found that they have more time in the early high school years, but more opportunity in the later high school years. Always the balance! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope in God Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Could he volunteer at AWANA? You would be able to drop him off at the same time that you are dropping your daughter off. My oldest volunteers at AWANA as a leader in training and she is that kind of teenager too. You know, the one that doesn't want to leave the house and needs a great big push to do anything. My husband and I also volunteer so that does make it less scary for her as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 (edited) Teaching Sunday school, nursery at church, political campaigning, page for Senator, starting and running a monthly service project club for girls. Edited May 15, 2012 by Excelsior! Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 DS15 just started volunteering on his own at the library. He loves to read and draw in his spare time, so we found a great opportunity for him. (He's also very much a home-body, so we had to push him a little to volunteer and get out of the house.) His first few projects were to paint scenery as a backdrop for the puppet shows the library puts on for younger kids. Other than meeting with the librarian to go over the project details, he worked on this projects at home by himself. He enjoyed the work and is a bit more confident now that he has a few projects under his belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMary2 Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Cool! Does the zoo have a special program, or did he just approach them? They have a volunteer program for teens. The teen goes through the interview process and then a training program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelmaLou Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Working in the Kinesiotherapy Dept. for the VA Hospital in Dallas. He loved it, got to be around a guy who used to be a professional bodybuilder, and had the opportunity to help veterans work with the weights and machines. Really fueled his interest in fitness and nutrition. He also rode the DART system train every day, having to switch trains once each direction. He had some *very* interesting experiences with public transportation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 On a regular basis my guys teach younger kids in Sunday School, assist with a middle school youth group, teach/tutor chess, and travel on working mission trips (as available and doing "real" projects as deemed by local groups in coordination with our group). For their senior projects both did Hunger Banquets (1 each) with the proceeds donated to Hope International's microfinance projects. For this they had to locate a venue, get volunteers for everything from cooking to advertising, get people to sign up, set the menu (which they based upon world stats - 10 per table, 1 getting a great meal with their own volunteer waiter/waitress, 3 getting basic beans & rice, 6 getting rice - all random), design the program (a bit of power point here - superbly done IMO :D), get a main speaker, and be the MC tying it all together. Neither hubby nor I lifted a finger to help. We enjoyed both "meals" though. Both kids did a great job and raised a bit of money for the cause. I've no idea yet what youngest will choose. He has a year to decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Neither of mine has done anything unique or unusually cool (yet). My daughter was a junior counselor for a day camp our church tried a couple of years ago and now helps out occasionally with childcare during services. She served in several roles while she was away at school, including being a peer advisor for other students in her early entrance program. Just this afternoon, she was trying to convince a friend to help her revive the church camp idea for this summer. We'll see how that goes. My son volunteers a couple of days a month at our local science museum and also helps out with day camps at a local theatre during the summer. He, too, assists with childcare at our church and also ushers for services once a month. He helps build and run the haunted house for the church's Halloween party most years, too. Okay, I guess there was one cool thing: A couple of years ago, our church youth group put on a variety show to raise money for Standing on the Side of Love. My son helped plan the entire event and also performed with a couple of ensembles did a solo act with his own choreography. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 (edited) When our kids were 8, 11 and 14, we were led to go on a mission trip to Fiji. GREAT place for a trip, but we also worked hard the 10 days we were working. At the end we went to the Garden Isle, and relaxed for a couple of days so we could actually see some of the beauty before heading home! The kids dug holes for posts, hauled sand from the beach to a build area to make cement to build a pad for a generator for a village. They helped haul water and mix and pour it as well. They also helped in the clinic and at the little elementary school with English and played with the kids at recess. Oldest has been on working mission trips to Arizona and Portugal. Middle has been on local mission work and mission trips to London and Scotland. Both boys helped a local family clear their land and haul it. They help with childrens classes and the sound system at church. Middle son was mentored by our pastor and gave 4 sermons and told childrens stories. They both have done and helped with special music in church. All three kids have sung for, talked with and done crafts with people in retirement homes. Our church adopted one place, and we'd go there 3 or more times a year. We'd adopt a person and get them a present and present it for Christmas, go and play games or do puzzles sometimes, etc. DD sang her first solo in church when she was 4, while the boys signed (Signed English) it! Thankfully we recorded it....it's fun to look at now! :) She has done a lot of special music, either singing or playing piano. She wrote Bible skits for puppets and printed them out and practiced and performed them for childrens story at church. She and I started volunteering at the Humane Society when she was 11 or 12 and volunteered for a little over a yearWhen she was 11 she and her friend (also 11) took on a huge community project by themselves. They gained an interest by making a Power Point and presenting it, as well as talking some, to Civic groups and Churches. 1 1/2 years later they'd raised $38,000 for a special playground for kids with Autism and other mental and physical problems. It was sooooooooo needed! They got to help build it, then got to play on the finished playground with the kids! DD said her favorite part of the whole 1 1/2 year project was playing with the kids on the playground after it was all done and built! :) That friend moved away not long after that project was completed, and dd then became involved with a group of teens that did local mission work for 3-5 days once a quarter or so. They'd stay at a school or church and do special projects for that place, then do at least 2 outreach projects for the community. Each time they do one of those, one of the teens is the coordinator, and does the research for their local area and finds the projects, plans the schedule and menu, and everything else that is involved. The group recently came to our Church and dd was the coordinator. It was a lot of work, and she learned sooo much! DH and I were able to be involved with this one to help with transportation and stayed with them in the church basement as sponsors. I was with the girls, dh was with the boys. There were about 15, and it was neat to see them so excited about it all! Now she is signed up to go on a mission trip with a large group of teens to Nicaragua in July. She's looking to be a nurse, probably in a mission field, or wherever God leads, so she's thrilled to be going! There ARE many things available for kids to do, and adults that are willing to mentor, work with, and help them succeed if you can find them! I agree with the idea of doing SOMEthing, even if it doesn't seem it'll head anywhere. And maybve it won't. But, there's a definite possibility that it could, and you'll be glad you did that first project! :D Edited May 16, 2012 by Brindee Forgot Humane Society Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.