Why You Should Volunteer as a Family This Summer

Giving back isn't just about helping others, it's about strengthening family bonds, teaching lifelong values and creating wonderful memories that everyone will remember long after summer ends.

Between work, school, clubs, friends and hobbies, quality family time can be hard to find. A recent study showed that families spend, on average, less than 6 hours a week together- less than an hour a day.

 And despite our efforts, many cite that social media, rising financial pressure and work shifts/priorities as the main reasons time together becomes less of a priority.

 It can then be hard to connect to one another and time quickly seems to slip away.

 A great way to create meaningful experiences and memories is through volunteering.

 Volunteering brings everyone together with a shared purpose; whether you're collecting or sorting donations, helping at a community event, packing food boxes, or cleaning up a local park, you're working as a team and creating memories that matter.

 You can even bring in individual passions or hobbies to make volunteering more appealing to those struggling to put down their phones – gardening, sports, history, fundraising or, using their phones for good for things like social media support, grant writing and researching or admin help.

Instead of asking, "What did we do this summer?" your family can proudly say, "We made a difference."

In addition to creating connection at home and during the activity, volunteering often introduces families to new experiences. You might learn how a local food pantry operates, discover the importance of environmental conservation or develop practical skills like gardening, organising events, or mentoring younger children.

These shared experiences can spark new interests, inspire ongoing community involvement and/or create interest for a future career or role.

Children may not remember every movie they watched or every afternoon spent indoors, but they'll likely remember delivering meals, planting flowers in a community garden or sorting through food donations at a local food bank.

 The emotions they felt, the smiles they captured, the heart felt thank you’s.

These experiences become stories your family tells for years to come.

It's Easier Than You Think

Family volunteering doesn't have to be complicated or require a full day commitment. Even an hour or two can make a difference.

Here are some roles to get you started:

Junior Parkrun Volunteer - Junior parkrun is a fun, free community event run by volunteers for 4-14 year olds to run or walk their local route to get active at the weekends.

23rd August Scarecrow Cafe Volunteer - serve drinks, food, clear tables or support with tidying up at a community cafe, taking place at the Scarecrow Festival in St Albans.

Befriending - support Reach Out offering companionship to elderly people who are at risk of going into hospital, who have just left hospital or who are medically vulnerable

Retail opportunities - helping charity shops raise funds for their organisations in a variety of ways - stock management, till support, sorting through donations, cleaning etc. Barnardo's in Royston,  The Hospice of St Francis in various locations, Garden House Hospice in Stevenage, Willow Foundation in Letchworth, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care in Hemel Hempstead, in Tring, in Berkhamsted, 

Green Shelter Champion - help promote a harmonious relationship with nature with Green Shelter who are looking for volunteers to support their cause to support plant fairs, seed swaps, nature activities and community projects across the UK.

Playscheme volunteer - if you enjoy working with children and young people aged 3-19 in activities that support a range of diverse needs, CHIPS are looking for help with their holiday and weekend schemes across Hertfordshire.

Family Activities Assistant - Gunpowder Mills are looking for volunteers to help with running activities when the site is open to the public

Alternatively, if you have a charity close to your heart, perhaps one that has helped a loved one or your family, why not reach out to them and see how you can offer meaningful support in a way your family can get involved in.

 Have a wonderful summer, and do share your summer of volunteering with us via [email protected], we’d love to hear what you get up to!