Kid-friendly volunteering opportunities
Images adapted from: Therapy Dogs Singapore and @foodbanksg
Between tuition sessions and extracurricular classes, parents all want the best for their kids. But apart from enhancing their skills, it’s also equally important for a child to pick up good values, and this can be done through hands-on volunteering activities with their parents as a family activity.
Due to the nature of the work, most volunteering opportunities require participants to be of a certain age. But that shouldn’t limit your options. As these places show, there are still ample opportunities for you to help impart good values into your little ones from a young age.
Check out our other volunteering opportunities here:
- Charities to help out old folks
- Beach cleanup groups
- Places to help migrant workers
- Volunteer opportunities for animal lovers
- New volunteering activities
1. Willing Hearts – packing lunch boxes for the needy
Image credit: @theshadowless
As its name suggests, all you need is a willing heart to join Willing Hearts. It’s a volunteer-run soup kitchen that sends about 5000 packed meals to 40 locations all over the country, and everyone from working adults to children is welcome to join.
Image credit: @hyunjungseo_singapore
The kitchen opens from 5AM-4PM, where it’ll be in a flurry from the get-go. Tasks include preparing ingredients, packing lunch boxes, and cleaning of cooking utensils. You can choose where to help out depending on skill level and the amount of help needed.
Address: 11 Jalan Ubi Block 6, #01-51 Kembangan-Chai Chee Community Hub, Singapore 409074
Telephone: 6743 0725
2. Trash Hero Singapore – regular cleanups at beaches and parks
Image credit: Trash Hero Singapore
Trash is abundant, even in clean Singapore. A visit to the beaches would show you scraps of rubbish scattered across the area, which is a shame.
That’s where environmental groups like Trash Hero Singapore come in. In their bid to reduce the overall level of pollution, they organise cleanups at various beaches and parks around the country.
Image credit: Trash Hero
There’s no specified minimum age for volunteers. In fact, they encourage children to help out as well, in the hopes that they’ll gain a firsthand lesson on the consequences of excess waste. To sign up, swing by their Facebook page and indicate your interest accordingly.
Find more beach cleanup groups to join in our article here.
3. The Salvation Army – running donation drives
Image credit: The Salvation Army Singapore
We’ve seen The Salvation Army logo around often enough to know that they extend their hand to help out underprivileged people from all walks of life.
You’ll find a wide range of volunteering opportunities here, including befriending beneficiaries and organising fundraisers and collection drives for second-hand items. The minimum age level depends on the activity you want to support – simply sign up by dropping them an email over at volunteer@SMM.salvationarmy.org.
View their full list of offices here.
4. Lion Befrienders – weekly visits to homes of lonely elderly
Image credit: Lions Befrienders
Everyone needs a friend in this world, and Lions Befrienders aims to be that friend for senior citizens living by themselves. Home visits occur every week, where the volunteers provide these old folks with enough social support to let them know that they’re not alone.
Anyone is welcome to become a Befriender, but children below 18 years old will have to be accompanied by a guardian. Other tasks that Befrienders can do include keeping the elderly company during their medical checkups.
Address: Block 130 Bukit Merah View, #01-358 Singapore 150130
Telephone: 1800 375 8600
5. Therapy Dogs Singapore – dog-assisted therapy
Image credit: Therapy Dogs Singapore – TDS
If you’ve got a family dog, you can get the whole entourage onboard at Therapy Dogs Singapore. They’re a non-profit voluntary welfare group using pet-assisted therapy to dish out social and emotional support to the disadvantaged.
Image credit: Therapy Dogs Singapore – TDS
There’s no specified minimum age, but kids will be able to tag along with their parents on visits. Requirements are stricter for your doggos – to become a volunteer, they’ll have to be healthy, obedience-trained, and calm. You can find out more here.
6. Singapore Red Cross Society – learning first aid to help in emergencies
Image credit: Singapore Red Cross
The Singapore Red Cross Society isn’t just limited to the CCAs in school. It’s also a nationwide humanitarian organisation that rises to help people out in times of suffering.
Volunteers between 9 and 35 will automatically be put under the Youth Membership, while those above 35 will qualify to be an Ordinary Member. Kids will be able to receive their First Aid training at the Junior First Aid Ranger programme ($75), which they can then put to good use by signing up as a First Aid volunteer.
Address: 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486
Telephone: 6664 0500
7. The Food Bank Singapore – feeding the needy through food drives
Image credit: @foodbanksg
Singapore’s food wastage has increased by 40% over the last 10 years, and that’s a cause for concern. If you want to play a part to curb these numbers, sign up with The Food Bank Singapore, which is a local charity that aims to feed the needy and subsequently reduce food wastage through food drives serving free meals and dry rations.
Image credit: FoodBank Singapore
Kids between 5 to 12 can join the Foodbank Juniors Club, where they’ll assist in sorting and packing up food donation bundles. Parents can help take care of the Junior Club by organising the food drives and ensure that they are executed without any hiccups.
Address: 39 Keppel Road #01-02/04, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore 089065
Telephone: 6831 5395
8. TOUCH Community Services – mentoring and food delivery opportunities
Image credit: TOUCH Community Services
Charity organisations such as TOUCH Community Services provide support for needy citizens, from the elderly down to the youths.
Families can participate in the Meals-on-Wheels programme, where you’ll be jetting around the country to deliver food packets to the elderly. Kids are more than welcome to tag along, where they can help their parents distribute the food out to the beneficiaries. Along the way, they’ll learn that empathy and kindness can go a long way.
Address: Block 162 Bukit Merah Central, #05-3545 Singapore 150162
Telephone: 6377 0122
Family volunteering opportunities in Singapore
Aiding a person in need is a heartwarming experience, and is especially so when it’s shared with the whole family. Not only is it a meaningful way to spend your time together, but your kid will also learn the value of empathy and compassion, which they’ll hopefully take with them on their journey to adulthood.
Read about why our writer chooses to volunteer during her weekends here.