What are some good volunteer programs for a 12 year old girl?

Question

My daughter is almost 12 and I would like for to get into some type of volunteer program - first of all to occupy her time, and second of all for her to gain some generosity, kindness, and unselfishness.

Please give me some ideas. Thanks!

Answer 1

she can read to children through the local library or if there is a tutoring program, she can help out there. most cities also have an community clean up program too. when she turns 14, she can help out at a nursing home or at the homeless shelter. and at 16, she can work with animals and in hospital.

Answer 2

That is a great idea.  We often have kids volunteering with mom or dad and sometimes just with other friends at the ministry of which I am execitive director.  12 yr olds can help stock shelves in the food pantry, carry food to a car for senior citizens, help run a playroom especially in sunmner, to amuse children who come for help with their parents, help do a clothes drive for a back to school clothes give away,  Our youngest regular volunteer is 9 she has been helping since she was 4.   This year for the community Christmnas dinner she helped sort and put out toys and clothes for kids who came (and gave us lots of advice on which toys belonged for which age groups and what we should buy for the kids),helped mx instant potatoes, helped make and put up posters, her big sister is 11 she did those sorts of things too and wrote a letter to the paper asking ppl to help.  

Other kids that age help at the animal shelter tho I agree that a no kill shelter is a much better place for kids to help, go sing or read stories at the senior center, make favors and holiday posters for the sr center and nursing homes, sing with a group of other kids at nursing homes and retirement communities, collect hats for people in need, and help in office work and in our ministries case help teach adults basic computer skills and help with the scrap book and newsletter.  

The best things for her to do is something that interests her.  If she loves horses see if she can help at a therepeutic riding program fir example,if she is artistic maybe she can paint windows or a mural at a senior center, if she loves reading then maybe she can read stories at the library for younger kids or at a senior center to older folks whose vision is no longer good, if she likes the outdoors then you and she might volunteer for trail clearing or lake clean upIdf she likes gardening then helping at a community garden may be her thing.   If at all possible volunteer together it will help you draw closer to each other which is so important as a young lasdy becomes a teen.  Most rules about kids volunteering apply when a parent is not there except around domestioc violence shelters,homes for abused kids, and places where there are contagous diseases.    In most other places parent and child are welcomed to help together.

Answer 3

Try to find some No-Kill animal rescue centers in your area. The kind where they dont put the animals to sleep. They always are looking for help with cleaning the cages and walking the dogs.

Answer 4

the issue with kids under 14 is that there are a lot of restrictions about what they are allow to do in terms of volunteering (their safety is the main concern). At my organization we use volunteers under 14 for neighborhood cleaning and beautification and to work with the elderly, so maybe those are good areas where your girl can help.

Answer 5

Nursing homes can always use young, bright people to come in and just visit with the residents, whether it be reading to them, taking walks with them, helping do things, or just visiting and listening to their stories. There are usually food banks that could use volunteers as well as homeless shelters-that one can change one's perspective in a heartbeat. Serving food and helping those that have no home and no possessions. Women's shelters, shelters for families of abuse like with kids that she could hang with and stuff. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

She could join scouts.  We always have service projects and she can join with other girls to make a real impact in the community.