Choosing a Family Community Service Project

The New Year is a great time to engage with the community, give to others, and explore new interests. This Family Bonding Challenge is about selecting a family community service project that will give back to your community in a way that resonates with your family while sharing your values with your kids and creating some wonderful family memories.

Wherever you live, you are surrounded by a community of people and businesses that support you and your family. Without even thinking about it, you engage with your community whenever you leave your house, whether that’s at the grocery store, your child’s school, the library, or a community park.

By choosing a family community service project, you will be showing your child that you value your community and the experiences it provides your family. You can also show your child that you value their interests by having them pick or take part in choosing what type of project the family will do. This may also give you some insight into an interest your child has that you aren’t aware of yet. You might be surprised by what they pick.

If you aren’t sure where to start, first talk with your family about why you want to select a service project at your next family meeting.

Make a list of potential causes that are important to you and other family members.

If you’re having trouble coming up with some, take a look at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for ideas. You can let your child pick one or you can pick one as a family.

Then come up with a project the family would like to do that falls under the selected category. Some great tips on volunteering with kids to keep in mind as you select your project include finding something fun and easy. The important part, aside from helping, is spending time together as a family.

The project can be something you do once a year or quarterly or monthly. It’s up to you and the family what you feel you can take on and have time for. This project is not intended to be one more thing you have to do, but something the family feels strongly about and wants to do. If once a year is all the time the family has to put toward it, that is completely fine.

If you’re having trouble coming up with an idea for a service project on your own or want to start on a smaller level, then take at this post from dosomething.org, or  all4kids.org, or at this one at signupgenius.com, or here at kidworldcitizen.org.