To Infinity, Choices and Beyond! Parent Guide | Page 18

VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering is another way for young people to broaden their life experience and gain useful skills , while making a contribution to a cause they are passionate about .
Many organisations have roles for volunteers , including charities and not-for-profit organisations , schools , hospitals , and local community centres . There are lots of possibilities , such as :
• wildlife conservation volunteering
• volunteering with animals
• working in a charity shop
• helping at a day centre for older people
SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD VOLUNTEERING
If your child is considering doing some volunteering , you can support them by :
• Helping them to think about different roles or types of organisations that will interest them and also move them closer to their longerterm goals . For example , if they are passionate about animals , can they find a role with a local animal charity ? If they are thinking about working in healthcare , could they gain relevant experience by volunteering in a hospital or care home ?
• Encouraging them to be realistic about how much time they spend volunteering . For example , they might choose to volunteer for several weeks during their summer holiday , for occasional one-off events , or for a few hours every week . Whatever they decide , it ’ s important that they leave plenty of time for their studies .
FINDING VOLUNTEER ROLES
Your child can check the websites of local charities and community groups ( or go and ask in person ), or search for opportunities on websites such as vinspired ( www . vinspired . com ) or Do-it ( www . do-it . org )
GOOD TO KNOW
Not all volunteering opportunities are available to under 16s , so make sure your child checks the details carefully before applying .
PART-TIME WORK
A part-time job is great preparation for working life . Even if it doesn ’ t relate directly to your child ’ s long-term ambitions , it will give them the chance to learn about things like taking responsibility , timekeeping and team work . In addition , they can earn some extra cash and get some experience of managing their own money .
Shops , restaurants , cafés , call centres and hairdressers often offer Saturday or evening work . Suggest your child goes in and asks in person , as businesses may not always advertise . They could also ask relatives or family friends about potential job opportunities .
GOOD TO KNOW
As with all extracurricular activities , it ’ s important that your child gets the balance right between a job and schoolwork so their studies don ’ t suffer . There are specific rules about how many hours young people can work – see www . gov . uk / childemployment for more details .