Family Volunteer Program

What is the Family Volunteer Program?

The Volunteer Center of RI (VCRI), in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation, sees family volunteering as a substantial new approach to the realm of community service. VCRI has launched the Family Volunteer Program to encourage and engage families in community-oriented projects. The program is based on the Family volunteer Program of Points of Light Foundation and rests on a powerful principle;

“A volunteering family, regardless of how it is configured – whether two-parent, single parent, intergenerational, etc. – benefits the community, benefits itself, and the nation at large. Through volunteer activities, families enrich their relationships with one another, gaining insights into the challenges of other human beings.”

Family volunteering can be initiated by young children, by teenagers, by grandparents, by anyone who has an interest in contributing to their community. The Volunteer Center of Rhode Island has joined the national movement to make family volunteering the norm in America and invites you to do the same. There’s a role for everyone in family volunteering. In today’s society there are many definitions of “family”. It can include mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents and even neighbors and mentors. The bottom line is that all families can make a difference by getting involved in family volunteering.

At The Volunteer Center of Rhode Island, we plan to work toward this goal by:

• Educating Families on the benefits of volunteering as a unit
• Educating non-profit agencies of the value of utilizing families as a volunteer resource and empowering them with the resources & skills to do that.
• Educating corporations of the needs and benefits associated with including families in their employee volunteer initiatives.

For more information about how your agency can tap into the power of family volunteers, please contact Janice Pothier Pac at jpothierpac@serverhodeisland.org or 421-6547.

Implementing A Family Volunteer Program: Its Easier Than You Think

Why Use Families and Youth as Volunteers?

Top Five Reasons Agencies Won’t Use Volunteers and How to Turn that Around

The Seven R’s of Family Matters

Tips for a More Effective Family Volunteer Program

How to Manage Risk

Assessment Tool for Agencies: Are You Family Friendly?

Recruiting Families

Volunteering Ideas for Families

Age Appropriate Ideas for Families

Why Use Families and Youth as Volunteers?

Direct benefits to nonprofit agencies include but are not limited to:

• Family Volunteering allows agencies to gain a better sense of community needs and provides closer ties to the communities they are serving.
• Family Volunteering provides opportunities for recruiting new populations, therefore increasing volunteer pool size.
• Family Volunteering creates life-long volunteers and a legacy of volunteering for the next generation.
• Family Volunteering acts as a natural multiplier of volunteers.
• Recruitment of any one family member acts as a catalyst for enlisting other family members.
• Children volunteers grow into youth and ultimately, adult volunteers.
• Family Volunteering builds awareness of community issues among a broad base of volunteers.
• Family Volunteering garners media attention.

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The Top Five Reasons Agencies Won’t Use Families

1. We allowed kids to volunteer here x number of years ago, and they caused trouble. We don’t let kids volunteer anymore.
2. We don’t have time to do family volunteering on top of our other programs.
3. We don’t have a child friendly environment.
4. I don’t know what to do with kids.
5. Kids just won’t like our volunteer opportunities.

Anything sound familiar?

Five Ways to Turn That Around

1. So you don’t LET kids volunteer anymore.
   Family volunteering provides built-in supervision of children, which makes it easier for volunteer administrators. You’d be amazed what kids can accomplish – and what great ideas they can offer - when they are given the opportunity. You can certainly give the families guidelines on appropriate and inappropriate behavior, the same as you would any volunteer. Perhaps you could consider limiting the number of children for each opportunity or setting a minimum age limit (Be flexible though. A 2 month old baby is virtually hassle free for you).
2. You don’t think you have time for another program.
   We’re not asking you to do more than you already do. But there are probably ways you could consider adding family volunteering to your existing volunteer program. Maybe you could involve a family in your next fundraiser. It helps show people how your agency cares about families. How about trying it just once, maybe on a Seasons of Service Day?
3. Not the most child friendly environment.
   Okay, so you have a warehouse or construction equipment or work with abused victims. You’re right that that isn’t the most appropriate thing for children. But, maybe there are ways that families could help that wouldn’t involve direct contact. Like helping stuff envelopes for your next event or making thank you cards to send out to your volunteers. There are really lots of ways to involve families that still help your agency.
4. You don’t know what to do with kids.
   There are lots of activities you can do with families that allow kids to be included. Take a look at the volunteer opportunities you already do, and see if there are specific tasks that would be appropriate for certain ages. For example, if you’re doing a food drive, maybe kids could count or sort cans while adults loaded the bags. Or during a fundraising walk, kids could help hand out water and t-shirts. There are probably lots of ways you can involve families.
5. You don’t think kids will like your opportunities.
   Volunteer opportunities are not about keeping kids entertained; they’re about getting kids involved in helping their communities. By letting parents teach their children about what your agency does, you are letting kids know why your work is important. Volunteer opportunities aren’t always glamorous or exciting, and kids understand that. But keep in mind that kids like to have responsibility, and often the things that adults don’t want to do are kids favorite tasks!

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The Seven R’s of Family Volunteering Programs

R esearch
What are our agency needs?
How does the staff feel about working with families?
What is our definition of “Family”?
What families are volunteering already?
What agencies have already tried using family volunteers, and what were their results?
R ecruitment
How do we make fulfilling jobs that families will find interesting and will also serve the agency’s mission?
How do we make the needs of the agency known to the community?
How will we target the families we need?
R eferral
What networks can we bring into play to utilize the time and talents of families who are not able or available to volunteer through our current volunteer opportunities?
R etention
Having spent time training the families, how do we ensure that will remain with the agency to fulfill their commitment?
R ecognition
How will we celebrate the contribution of volunteers in our agency?
R elease
How will we deal with the volunteers who do not blend well with our agency or our mission?
R eflection
What type of evaluation and reflection opportunity will we provide that will benefit both the agency and the family?
What have all of the involved parties learned from the experience?
What will we do differently in the future?
How will we promote funding for new volunteer staffed projects?

Learn what makes the successes happen, learn how to replicate them, and allow them to flourish!

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Tips for a More Effective Family Volunteering Program

• Create effective tools to engage families through the places that they live, work and worship.
• Reflect diversity in program materials to make all families feel welcome to participate. Show families, not just individuals, in promotional materials. Promote awareness of your organizations purpose to families in the community. Design recruitment materials in languages other than English.
• Select a community based advisory committee to increase community representation and participation. Seek the involvement of people who have characteristics and skills to design, build and launch a family volunteering program. This committee (and their families) can offer insight and guidance in all areas of the program including strategic planning, recruitment efforts, recognition activities, assessing community need, developing service projects or evaluation.
• Embrace a clear and inclusive definition of "family." Explore how your organization defines "family" and create a concrete definition for use with your Family Matters program.
• Knowledge about existing volunteer programs within other organizations and the demographics of families themselves provides valuable information for creating appropriate family volunteer programs that are responsive to community needs.
• Promote one-time activities for families with busy schedules. Create volunteer projects that families can do at home.
• Knowledge about existing volunteer programs within other organizations and the demographics of families themselves provides valuable information for creating appropriate family volunteer programs that are responsive to community needs.
• Foster family volunteering in a variety of organizations that are accessible to many kinds of families (cultural, structural, racial and economically diverse).
• Encourage family volunteers to create a working partnership of at least two family members. It isn't always necessary to include everyone; the family can mean a father and daughter or a grandparent and grandchild.
• Match the appropriate family members to the appropriate activity; for example, a husband/wife team can mentor a troubled teen; a parent and young children can provide refreshments at a health fair; a disabled family member can greet museum visitors in partnership with someone else.
• Talk to child development professionals about activities appropriate for children and any training that might be required.
• Engage families in creating volunteer jobs; they will have increased interest and ownership.
• Solicit the volunteer families' perception of your organization and work together to address any concerns. Create an evaluation tool which measures the family's satisfaction with the agency where they volunteer.
• Locate service activities near public transportation.
• Work to improve access to people with disabilities.
• Develop ways to communicate with hearing- and sight-impaired persons
• Have staff and volunteers reflect the diversity of the volunteers you wish to recruit.

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How to Manage Risk

Risk management and liability issues for most non-profit organizations are important when working with any volunteers.

You need to establish a plan before any volunteer activities occur. A plan is necessary so that everyone involved in the activity is protected from personal harm, property loss, and lawsuits. Your organization’s leaders, staff, and volunteers should be part of the risk management process and be aware of its procedures.

According to the Nonprofit Risk Management Center in Washington, D.C., the three keys to an effective risk management plan are commitment, communication, and consistency. Commit to protecting the rights and safety of those involved in the program, communicate that commitment to the community, and be consistent when following through with your organization’s risk management plan.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING A RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN ARE:

• Review and update your organization’s insurance coverage.
• Review your state restrictions and regulations regarding children/youth.
• Establish and follow screening procedures for all family members.
• Ask volunteers to sign liability waivers and consent forms.
• Establish effective supervision procedures for all family members.
• Orient and train all family members before each activity.

It is best to consult an insurance agent and lawyer when developing your risk management plan. Make sure you evaluate your plan regularly and make changes when developing new volunteer jobs. Review your procedures annually.

So, is it worth the risk?

Non-profits that utilize Family Volunteering report significant results:

97.6% report Family Volunteering to be effective

96.3% report Family Volunteering offers unique ways to offer services

98.3% report benefits to families over and above volunteering alone.

Gallup Survey on Family Volunteering, 1994

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Assessment Tool for Agencies: Are You Family Friendly?

1. Does your organization management support the idea of family volunteering?	Yes	No
2. Are you aware of what staff may need to implement family volunteering?	Yes	No
3. Have you identified a key person who can help promote and develop family volunteer opportunities?	Yes	No
4. Do you need policy changes to implement family volunteering?	Yes	No
5. Do you have a minimum age requirement for volunteers?	Yes	No
6. Would your organization consider accepting children younger than the policy states if they were accompanied by an adult.	Yes	No
7. Are you aware of families that currently volunteer in your program?	Yes	No
8. Are families involved in developing family volunteer opportunities?	Yes	No
9. Does your organization have an established policy regarding supervising families, especially those with younger children?	Yes	No
10. Are your organizations work hours flexible enough to accommodate families?	Yes	No
11. Do you currently promote your volunteer program or activities to families in your community?	Yes	No
12. Can any of your volunteer opportunities be done at home?	Yes	No
13. Is adequate supervision provided during activities?	Yes	No
14. Would you consider providing childcare for special projects?	Yes	No
15. Do your publications or other external materials contain images of various types of family units?	Yes	No
16. Do you have the capacity to track the number of family volunteers and the hours they serve?	Yes	No
17. Do you have evaluation tools that can be used with families to help Measure impact?	Yes	No
18. Have you defined family volunteers’ jobs clearly, spelling out specific activities to be undertaken with understandable, logical goals?	Yes	No
19. Have you looked at each activity to determine if it is appropriate for families with young children?	Yes	No
20. Do you have liability insurance?	Yes	No

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Recruiting Families

1. What is the project and is it really family friendly?
   Take some time to think about your volunteer projects and any adaptations that can be made to make them more inviting to families.
   
2. How many families can the project accommodate in meaningful service?
   Know your limits going in and plan accordingly.
   
3. What is the best time to recruit families?
   • Recruit anytime, with a focus on opportunities that fit into family schedules – weekends, evenings, etc.
   • Back to school time is a good time to recruit, as many families are looking to fill their children’s service hours for school or religious organization.
   • School vacations, particularly summer vacation, are a great time to pull in families looking to keep their kids occupied in meaningful activities.
     
4. How/what medium do I use?
   In a survey of our agencies that use families, here is what they found successful:
   • Ask current volunteers to bring their families (76.4%)
   • Posters, flyers, other media (52.7%)
   • Volunteer fairs (17.3%)
   • VCRI Website or your own

Can I involve families as recruiters?
Absolutely! Families know other families and word of mouth about a great family opportunity is sure to spread!

Where to find families:
The following is a list of ideas to get you started thinking about places your agency can start distributing or posting information about your family opportunities.

• Schools
• Day Care Centers
• Theatres
• Malls
• Zoos/Aquariums/Museums
• Gymnastics/Dance Studios
• Mom’s Clubs
• Fraternal Clubs – Lions, Elks, Rotary
• Camps
• Martial Arts Studios
• Hair Salons

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Volunteering Ideas for Families

Opening your heart and home

• Organize a fundraiser (run, walk, etc.) to send a child to summer camp
• Volunteer at a summer camp for children or adults with disabilities. Activities may include leading craft projects, teaching swimming, sing-a-longs, etc.
• Drive homebound residents to doctor appointments, the grocery store, or friends
• Volunteer at a zoo working with animals
• Help build a home or shelter
• Build walk bridges, BBQ pits, picnic tables or trails at local parks
• Host volunteer planning meetings with other families in your home
• Teach kids how to swim
• Become a surrogate family for adults who are developmentally disabled and include them in your family activities
• Take a homebound elderly friend to lunch or dinner
• Bring your pet to a nursing home to spend time with the residents
• Become a foster family
• Coordinate a food drive for people in your community
• Host a child or young adult for part of the summer

Helping hands/spruce up your community:

• Partner with another family to repair or paint the home of an elderly couple or needy family
• Organize a "window washing", "spring cleaning", or "yard day" for a needy non-profit or social service agency
• Organize a community "closet cleaning" day/week and donate old clothes and other items to a homeless shelter or other organization
• Plant and tend a garden for your neighbors

Music/Entertainment/Crafts:

• Give a puppet show at a local library
• Organize a sing-a-long at the children's hospital
• Arrange a youth history hour at a nursing home to encourage older people to talk with children about their histories
• Organize a musical instrument drive and donate the instruments to a charity or community center. Offer to give music lessons
• Ask a hospice what entertainment they enjoy and work with a family to organize the event
• Teach craft projects at a local homeless shelter, adult daycare or summer camp
• Organize and direct a play at a community center

Literacy/Reading:

• Write or read letters to visually-impaired individuals
• Create a family story hour and read to children in your neighborhood
• Volunteer with a local council to help people learn how to read

Advice/Current Affairs:

• Attend a city council meeting with other families to voice your opinion on a community issue
• Write a letter to your legislator about an issue that is important to your family

Environment:

• In towns where no recycling process is in place, collect papers, cans, glass, plastic, batteries and take them to a nearby receptacle or start recycling in your own community
• Take your family and other neighboring families to clean up the community. Select a nearby park, nature preserve, beach or other public area
• Provide animal care/aide for community parks or nature preserves
• Participate in a brush-cleaning hiking trip to help keep national and state park trails in good condition
• Organize a community garden to beautify
  

Volunteer vacation opportunities:

Contact your local church, synagogue or medical aid organization about "mission opportunities." Your family can provide out-of=state or global support to families and communities. Activities include medical/clothing drop-offs, providing building assistance, etc.

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Age Appropriate Ideas for Families

Projects mentioned at the younger ages are also appropriate for older children and teens.

Ages 1-4:

• Play with other children
• Visit a nursing home with other family members
• Partner with an older family member to read books at the library or community center
• Help deliver meals prepared for the homebound or hungry

Ages 5-7:

• Sort bags of food at food bank
• Work in a community garden (i.e., till soil, plant bulbs, or maintain a family garden)
• Bake sweets and deliver them to a place where they will be enjoyed
• Enjoy a fundraising walk
• Make sandwiches for the homeless
• Harvest vegetables
• Give a pupper show to shelter children

Ages 8-10:

• Help set tables and serve food at a soup kitchen
• Share family volunteer experiences at community events or in newsletters
• Collect clothing or school supplies for those in need
• If you have a pet, volunteer to take it for a visit to an adult day care center
• Paint local schools or non-profit agencies
• Walk dogs at the animal shelter

Ages 11-12:

• Mentor young children through a family-to-family mentoring program
• Suggest and choose family volunteer activities with other family members
• Call other friends' families to become family volunteers
• Encourage family volunteering or civic opportunities in the classroom
• Join a gleaning project (e.g., pick fruits or vegetables at a local farm)

All can participate at some level:

• Hug seniors in rest homes
• Clean up beaches or parks - beautify neighborhoods
• Provide foster homes for pets
• Raise money to buy books for literacy programs
• Create cards for residents in nursing homes

For more information on family volunteering, see our Links page and start making volunteering the norm in your family and community today!

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