Within the option of volunteering with people, volunteer work with children is one of the most exciting, rewarding, and complex experiences there are. In many places, children can be found in the heart of the discussion but far from the actual focus and attention. Powered by the belief that investing in a child’s well-being holds an incredible potential and can make an impact on the entire community, many organizations throughout the world act to bring about change that is specifically rooted in working with children. But, as they say, “with great power, comes great responsibility”, in recent years it has become increasingly clearer that organizations and volunteers alike should approach this issue with as much awareness and knowledge as possible. As an extremely vulnerable social group that draws attention and funds, children can be easily exploited. Also, their dependency means that factors such as time-frame and activity can be more sensitive than in other fields. But don’t let that discourage you - volunteers around the world are a vital resource to organizations since they can provide a safe environment for children to grow, learn, and enjoy themselves. Such experiences are crucial for all individuals alike.
Before setting off to your volunteering journey, make sure to take these factors into account when looking for an organization that works with children.
Similar to the way in which travel, in general, is developing into a more conscious and aware experience, volunteering with children can also generate a positive impact - not only for one person but for an entire community.
Volunteering with children ranges from recreational activities, such as coaching or craftwork, to providing language skills or developing long-term educational programs that touch on social, political, gender, or ecological issues. Though the content of programs in each organization varies, all are led by the same principal: providing care, benefiting and improving the lives of underprivileged, unprovided-for children.
Volunteers that contribute to long-term projects in organizations can help provide the basis for a child’s stable future and to facilitate an in-depth change in a community by providing educational instruments that can help fight poverty and emotional hardship.
In ways similar to other volunteering activities, when it comes to finding a location for volunteering with children the first question to ask yourself is where you care about the most- what part of the world draws you the most.
Children and youth at-risk are mostly present in areas experiencing political strife, or where extreme poverty, medical and healthcare issues exist. While communities in low-income rural areas face different concerns in comparison to large urban locations, in both many children are faced with limited access to essential resources. The overly-populated cities in Southeast Asia - in particular, Thailand, Nepal, and India - leave many children struggling with poverty. In Latin American countries, the steep economic differences in urban areas backlash. Organizations in Peru are trying to struggle with the culture of “street children” offering many rehabilitation programs, amongst other essential projects. In many countries in Africa, like Kenya or Tanzania, the AIDS crisis that continues to take its toll leaves many children unprovided for. In these cases, organizations provide programs ranging from psychological assistance, education or aiding in raising healthcare awareness.
Unfortunately, the growing interest in providing assistance for children often comes with fears of child exploitation and, in many places, receives much criticism. That being said, many organizations that have been working throughout the years have been able to successfully avoid these problematic positions, and instead, advocate and promote change around conflicted or impoverished places.
Don’t be put off by this complexity. When approaching the question of where and how you can volunteer with children - ask as many questions as you can, choose and organization and contact you trust, make sure you’ll be part of an organization that is aware of this complexity and remember - you are entering one of the most rewarding, challenging, and life-changing experiences there are. Take this journey on with all the energies and powers that you have, and you will surely feel like you helped to make a difference.