AIBU to ask what ‘volunteering’ your yr9/14 year old did for DoE?

[Guiltridden12345]

My daughter wants to do this next year. Skill and sport are sorted, expedition will hopefully be planned with the leaders. But the opportunities for volunteering roles are pretty limited for this age group, with the DoE website having few ideas. Most shops/charities/rescue centres require 16 year olds and older. Can I ask what your 14 year olds did for their bronze volunteering element?

Litter pick for one of mine and the other helped at brownies

Riding for the disabled takes 14 year olds, all training is provided.

I’ve had young people helping at Brownies, although they may have been Guides if they were younger? I think 14 is ok for not being a member of Guiding to come and help. I expect Scouting is the same.
My parents run a charity warehouse and they’ve had young people helping to sort goods out, definitely under 16 as they were talking about GCSE options with them.
Would something like Parkrun need volunteers to man the course, I don’t know enough about that tbh. Might be worth looking into anyway.
Good luck to your dc!

Junior park run helper.

Parkrun

Gosh really, even for non-riders??

My daughter is volunteering in a charity shop so some do take from age 14 (bucks based charity)

Young leader in Scouting, was already in Scout movement

Ooh I’ll get her to enquire locally- thanks!

Helped with a local forest school.

Some help with rainbows or brownies or the like. If she has other hobbies, is there a younger age-group she can help with? One lad in our local band helped with the junior band, for instance.

Our libraries recruit teenagers to help with the summer reading challenge - they sit in the library and talk to any kids who come in about the books they've read and give them their stickers. I think one kid also volunteered on a weekly basis doing general shelf-tidying etc.

At the local swimming club - collecting floats and the like.

My DC volunteered at a his primary school in the after school club. Headteacher was more than willing to accommodate

Helping at football club with younger kids
Running stationery trolley around school

We've had DofE kids help at church eg. in kids' classes or setting up/ clearing up/ serving refreshments etc.

These ideas are so helpful - thank you. She does have a hobby with a younger age group but sadly it’s at the same time as her own session.

Eldest volunteered helping her ballet teacher with the really little ones and middle child helped with the younger ones at his drama group.

St Johns ambulance cadets

My son helped my friends son with tutoring for his 11plus.

Help with reading at primary school, or ask food bank if they can help sort donations. Guiding/scouting. Parkrun volunteer. There will be something! All the above should be ok for 13/14 year olds. You're right that there are lots of places that want 16 or over

Helped her teacher with dance club at school

Parkrun takes 14 year olds, we have tons at our local parkruns, both the 5k on a Saturday and the junior events on Sundays.

I’ve known them help with scouts, swimming lessons and park run

Riding for the disabled
Helping at church such as altar serving and stewarding
Helping at a local club

Some churches my have programmes that need volunteers and the relevant dbs to take under 18's - I can

My 14 year old daughter goes into a local care home where she is a befriender. She plays scrabble and completes word searches/crosswords with the residents. She has absolutely loved it and has continued to go in on a weekly basis even though her official volunteering commitment is over.