The unexpected benefits of family volunteering | Canada Voices

When Jessica Hein’s seven-year-old daughter wanted to organize a Kids Pride Parade for her friends and their families, she imagined a small neighbourhood gathering.

But what started as a small initiative quickly gained momentum, transforming into a larger event that brought in 200 people from across Toronto and beyond.

“Being able to organize something like that with your seven-year-old kid and then watch the community come out to support was just really special, and you could see how much joy it brought to people,” said Hein.

The success of that spontaneous event led to a more organized effort this year, where a committee of 20 kids and 20 adults kicked off Pride Month in their neighbourhood with a celebration that drew roughly 500 attendees, according to Hein.

It was empowering for all those involved to experience how one vision could bring together a community, she added.

“The kids loved it – it wasn’t pressure. It was like, ‘Oh, we did this! This is ours. This is amazing.’”

Making core memories

Whether it is between a parent, child, grandparent, step-parent, sibling or any other family member, family volunteering is an opportunity to nurture and strengthen family relationships, encourage discussions about the larger world around them while fostering a sense of community, advocates say. It addresses social, environmental, or civic issues, while helping participants develop new skills, resources, networks, and friendships.

But there are other unexpected benefits too.

Unlike many typical family activities, volunteering is one of the few meaningful family experiences that does not cost money, experts say, noting that teenagers, for example, find more purpose and happiness doing activities with their parents than without.

“Your children will remember volunteering with you, and they will remember how it made them feel,” said Joanne McKiernan, executive director of Volunteer Toronto, which, along with the Toronto Foundation, helped support the Kids Pride Parade with a $1,000 microgrant.

“Volunteering is going to be a core memory.”

Building a sense of ‘mattering’

From a sociological and social psychology perspective, it is an important leisure activity that has multiple benefits for every member and generation in the family, says Melissa Milkie, a sociology professor and chair of the Graduate Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto.

It shows children how much they matter to their family and to others who depend on them, she said, explaining that the concept of “mattering” in social psychology is strongly connected to one’s well-being. It is associated with positive relationships, how satisfied one is in life, and can shield people from loneliness.

“They’re seeing their place in the world and in kind of a unique way – through helping others,” said Milkie.

“You’re allowing kids to develop this sense of purpose, and mattering to the social good, to the larger community, as well as to their family. It’s very powerful for mental health.”

Combatting the loneliness epidemic

Family volunteering can also be a compelling antidote to the pandemic-driven isolation that affects both the young and old, experts say.

It provides an opening to engage older family members, mitigate the loneliness common among seniors and to also learn from them, says Megan Conway, president and CEO of Volunteer Canada.

“There’s a huge way in which there can be intergenerational knowledge sharing, which I think is something we’re thoroughly missing these days,” she said. “And sometimes the fresh eyes of a young person who sees something through a different lens – there’s a huge opportunity there.”

Volunteering with loved ones also provides an opportunity to explore career options, different passions, needs, and interests, while learning social skills and teaching kids a critical sense of responsibility, advocates say.

Finding opportunities as unique as your family

It can mean many different things and is not just about charity. Helping out at community events is a great way to get younger family members involved, from festivals and school fairs to fundraising and environmental activities.

Importantly, don’t just drag your kids along, experts caution. Find a common cause, value, or neutral activity that the entire family can participate in together, and don’t just wait until Christmas time when organizations may be too overwhelmed to manage new volunteers.

The grassroots success of the children’s pride parade inspired Hein’s daughter to engage the community again, by organizing a garbage cleanup effort that brought together more than three dozen neighbours aged two to late 60s.

“People are socializing and they enjoy being together,” said Hein. “They meet new people and really end up having a good time together and feel that sense of accomplishment collectively.”