As parents, we know how rewarding it is to get involved with charities and our communities and spend some of our time helping others. But wouldn’t it be great to teach our children the value of volunteering as well?!
Sometimes it can be a struggle to find organisations that allow children to participate as volunteers, due to age restrictions, or other requirements. After some research, we’ve found a few charities in KL and around where kids and teens can get involved in volunteering work and catch the spirit of giving.
Free Tree Society
The Free Tree Society is one of the very few charities that offers volunteer opportunities for students of all ages (including younger kids). The organisation aims to make environmental education more fun and make our planet green, by giving away plants for free.
When children volunteer to join the gardening and planting workshops at Bangsar or Taman Tugu nursery, they will not only learn how to plant and take care of plants, but also help to make our planet a better place by propagating plants from seeds and cuttings. On top of that, Free Tree Society conducts also talks to raise environmental awareness about climate change and what we can do to play our part.
Teens from 13 years and up can volunteer by joining the Pulai trail, where they will learn about the environment, help to clean the trail, and contribute to maintaining and how to preserve the trail area. Another volunteering opportunity for teenagers is to help with gardening at the nurseries, during giveaway days, and for hosting events.
To find out how you can volunteer and learn more about saving the planet, check their website here.
Kechara Soup Kitchen
Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) in Pudu, KL, is a community action group that distributes food, and assists homeless and underprivileged people in Kuala Lumpur, regardless of religion or race. It welcomes volunteers from 12 years and up, if accompanied by a guardian. Kids will be able to help with the food packing, where they will get the chance to help prepare and arrange meal sets for the street volunteers to distribute. Another opportunity available for pre-teens is to help with the distribution of the meal sets from the KSK offices.
After a safety briefing and preparation of the meal sets, the young volunteers are ready for the meal distribution. There is also always a need for volunteers to help the kitchen supervisor to clean dishes, clean the kitchen after the busy distribution period, or sort out donated clothes.
If you wish to know more about Kechara Soup Kitchen, you can find more information on their website here.
Greater Action
Aimed at older self-driven enthusiastic teens who want to make a difference, Greater Action offers many volunteering opportunities, even for those who choose to work virtually. Dedicated teens that would like to volunteer can help to improve the lives of 250 vulnerable refugee families, and support them with quality education, sustainable livelihood opportunities, and mental healthcare programs.
A great way for the whole family to contribute is by taking part in one of the activities offered by The Greater Action Centre, such as cooking/baking classes, art workshops, and also by buying sustainable handcrafted products designed and made by their skilled refugee tailors.
Although Greater Action volunteers are mostly older teens and adults, there are a few areas where younger kids and families can are welcome to get involved, such as finding ways to funds raising to convert into medicines and food, donating second-hand phones and tablets to the learning centre, organise their birthday parties at the centre with artistic or culinary activities, or by simply raising awareness about the refugee cause.
For more information and volunteering inquiries, please view their website here.
Second Chance Animal Society
Second Chance Animal Society in Hulu Langat is a no-kill animal shelter that houses over 500 dogs and cats. Due to their large number of rescued animals and for safety reasons, they don’t offer volunteering opportunities for younger kids other than school volunteering hours with supervision.
Teenagers though are very welcome to help, as all the work keeping the shelter running is done entirely by kind-hearted volunteers. Among the volunteer programmes aimed at older teenagers are shampooing and giving the dogs a scrub and applying tick-wash, cleaning kennels and shelter compounds, clearing drains, and general overall cleanliness, or even painting the kennels.
Families and kids can also help by donating goods and food for the animals, sponsoring an animal, or by raising funds for the shelter.
For more information and volunteering inquiries, please view their website here.
Is it easy to make a difference?
There are many other ways for children to make a difference in the community or even in a single person’s life. Younger kids can help, for example, by putting on a garage sale and donating all the proceeds to benefit a local shelter or a charity of their choice. They will learn new values and grow trust they are making the community a better place through their own efforts. Start with only one or a few hours a week, and remember to talk to your kids afterward about what they liked and learned about the experience.
Introducing your children to volunteering will demonstrate your family’s values in action, and volunteering will be a learning experience for your children. It could also help create a family bond when parents and siblings can join. In that way, children can see how important showing empathy and kindness is for the whole family.
Simply looking for a local charity to support with a small donation? Have a look at our list here!
