4 Volunteer Opportunities For Your Children

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Volunteering provides many benefits for those who take the time to get involved. Benefits include improved health, increased social interaction, and learning new skills to advance your career. Young people want to volunteer, but Florida is ranked among the states with the lowest teenage volunteer rates. As adults, we understand the benefits of volunteering, so how can we share this wisdom with our children, improve our volunteer Florida rates for teens and get them more involved?

Educate and Inform

You can raise safe, healthy and drug free children by educating and informing them about current and relevant volunteering opportunities. Consider their interests and hobbies. For example, if your children like using technology, think about ways they can combine volunteering and technology. It may be something as simple as setting up a Facebook event for an end of the year party as part of the Safe Homes Safe Parties initiative or something more complex like creating a website for a local non-profit organization.

Informed Families offers four universal prevention campaigns to educate youth on: the importance of family, the danger of prescription drugs and being drug-free, safe and fun end-of-year parties, all while providing the opportunity for them to earn community service hours.

Family Day

Family Day is a national effort to reduce youth substance abuse and other risky behavior. The idea is to spend time with your original social network (your family) and 'stand up' to sit down together for dinner. Volunteering opportunities for your children include having them help plan an amazing family night (ideas include preparing dinner as a family, enjoying games together and going on a family hike). Most importantly, you can teach your children to be active in telling their friends about having Family Day at their homes too. The more families that get involved, the more excited everyone will be to continue planning future Family Day events and activities.

Safe Homes Smart Parties

End-of-the-year parties can be opportunities for poor decision-making related to alcohol and drugs. So let's learn how to plan a party that is fun and safe for everyone!

Volunteering is what you make of it, so take this opportunity to plan an awesome party for everyone to enjoy. Plan ahead with things such as food & drinks, games & activities, and a set list of rules which are agreed upon and clearly understood by everyone involved. Include your children in the planning process from start to end. They can help you plan activities, create an invite list, and share the news with their friends. Planning ahead with your children will ensure you throw an awesome drug/cigarette/alcohol-free party that everyone enjoys. Other ways to volunteer for Safe Homes Smart Parties include become an Informed Families Ambassador and delivering the message at your child's school, sharing parent flyers and pledges at your place of business or PTSA meeting, or simply spreading the word through Social Media.

Red Ribbon Week & Lock Your Meds

Volunteering opportunities relating to 'Red Ribbon Week' & 'Lock Your Meds' come in the form of championing the message of drug prevention throughout your community. Discuss the benefits and importance of a drug-free lifestyle with your children, and promote self-confidence and self-respect through these initiatives. Opportunities for your children to get involved include: taking part in the slogan competition (and winning awesome prizes!), spreading awareness to friends/family/classmates, and advocating to local/state/national policy makers using our educational content.

Conclusion:

There are always opportunities to get involved with volunteering in your community. There are many benefits to volunteering so set some time aside to get involved as a family, children included. They are never too young to make a difference! Start volunteering now by being an Informed Families Ambassador to make a difference today. Your children can easily get involved in this initiative with you and receive community service hours for helping deliver different campaigns throughout the year.

Community Updates:

Volunteers in Miami Shoutout!

Shoutout to Cary Sabater, Drug Free Youth In Town (DFYIT) and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club sponsor at Miami Dade County Public Schools. Thanks for all your hard work and involvement with these great organizations!

Volunteers in Orlando Shoutout!

Shoutout to Judith Barnaskey, our Lancaster Elementary School Ambassador. Congratulations on completing your ambassador training. We look forward to your continued involvement and working with you on our four universal campaigns!

Volunteers in Tampa Shoutout!

Shoutout to Denise Birungi Evans from the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance. We love the work you do at the HCADA and look forward to your continued support and success!