Children and Volunteering: The Secret Sauce to Community Building

WRITTEN BY KATIE DAUGHENBAUGH

I often get asked why I invest my personal time in helping small children volunteer in the community. Do they get anything out of it? Kids can’t possibly help, can they? And, finally, isn’t it chaotic?

The answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES! It most definitely is a bit turbulent, but kids get a lot out of it, and they indeed help in that authentic kid-specific way that no adult can compete with.

Kids greatly benefit from volunteering starting at a young age. They learn that the universe doesn’t revolve around them, which instills a sense of empathy into their growth and development. They watch the adults participating with them doing so with open hearts, learning that “this is just what we do.” They learn teamwork, and perhaps a specific skill or two. Yes, children of all ages benefit from helping the community, and in many ways are intrinsically geared to help. Instilling this habit into our youth early makes for giving communities.

Kids have a way of interacting with our world that adults just can’t rival. Imagine a child delivering a holiday card to an elderly resident at a local retirement home. The gesture is kind, authentic and so appreciated by both giver and receiver. Now imagine if an adult like me or you did the same thing. Sure, the resident would appreciate it, but the interaction would not be nearly as touching. Children bring a sense of authenticity, innocence and a genuine desire to help. Spreading that cheer with others is a form of giving in itself.

Given that volunteering with children can feel busy, there are some steps you can take to make sure it goes smoothly. Communicate well with the organization for which you are volunteering and make sure the activity is ageappropriate so the kids remain engaged and less likely to wander. Make sure to account for basic needs, like hunger and thirst by bringing snacks and water. Recruit a group that is big enough to handle the task but not so big that you have children waiting around for something to do. Then go for it!

Or better yet, find a program that values service and jump in. In our community, there are lots of groups, both academic and extracurricular, that incorporate service into their programs. However, I have found the most impact to be with the Scouting America program. Kids as young as 5 participate in community service through the Cub Scout program to volunteer with Friends of Hyalite, Huffing for Stuffing, Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Highgate Assisted Living and more.

Inventive Cub Scout leaders often make volunteering fun by incorporating a contest, such as who can find the weirdest, biggest, smallest and most trash collected at a clean-up event. And sometimes, the most memorable volunteering experiences come from challenges. One of our local Cub Scout Packs not-sofondly remembers pulling mullein for hours at a local state park, then spending the weeks afterwards removing it from clothing, hair, socks and shoes. But there’s no doubt they will remember that event!

Finally, in order to become an Eagle Scout, older youth must complete at least 18 hours of community service; in reality, most youth give far more than this. In addition, they must design and lead a project that gives back to their communities. In recent years, Eagle Scouts of the Mountain Valley District have remodeled and landscaped homes for Family Promise, created first aid kits for Gallatin Valley Food Bank patrons, created safe stairs at the Kirk Hill trail, built Free Little Libraries, made blankets for children in the hospital, installed AEDs at local schools and so much more.

Communities work best when everyone participates. Nurturing a sense of giving in our kids, starting at a young age, is doable and fun. Find a program that values service and watch your kids grow. For more information on Scouting America for both boys and girls, go to https://beascout.scouting.org, or email renee. stephens@scouting.org.

Katie Daughenbaugh is the Scouting America Mountain Valley District Commissioner.