That it’s impossible for 14 year olds to get volunteering experience.

[OldTiredMum1976]

I have a very sensible 14 year old girl who is hoping to be a teacher when she grows up. She has a 9 week summer holiday and gets so fed up! She would like to do some volunteering to get some things on her CV, however, it seems impossible to find anything these days.

Has anyone got any ideas?

She can, as long as she doesn't have sole charge of kids and is always supervised by a DBS adult. My daughter volunteered at a local community centre kids art club at that age. DBS is only for over 16s anyway.

Guides or scouts is a good idea too.

If you have any friends or acquaintances with primary age children maybe see if they'd have her babysit. My daughter started at that age but only with people who knew me, and not with toddlers/babies. Eg a 9/10 year old who is really capable of looking after herself but not quite old enough to be left alone all day/in the evening and would enjoy hanging out with a sensible teenager. Older primary kids might prefer this to school holiday club.

Our local food bank lets 14 year olds volunteer to organise bags of food.

It's a bit sad that a 14 year old is focusing on her CV.

In a few years - NCS then VSO. I don't know the age you need to be for Workaway.

Not true my son volunteered to help at tennis with helping set up/ coach tennis lessons the coach has a DBS. Teens also run summer reading challenges in libraries no dbs needed. Library staff supervise.

My 14yo was allowed to volunteer at our church. Had to take some safeguarding training, and was never 1:1 with any of the kids (always an adult volunteer or member of staff present).

That's not true. DD has been volunteering with Brownies since 13 for DofE.

My friend's teen was offered work at Kumon tutoring. Is there a branch near you?

As a sports ckub we have had loads ofv14 year olds volunteering.

Very slightly older, but my teen at 15 volunteered at a local historic site. He worked in the office tracking visitor numbers and going through the visitor books collating comments and mapping where visitors came from.

One of his friends has volunteered at a local open air museum since she was 13.

Several who are in Guides or Scouts help out at Cubs and Brownies.

That's rubbish, at 14 they dont need a dbs!

(Big) parkrun on Saturdays at 9 or Junior Parkrun on Sundays at 9.
I think libraries take 14yr olds for summer reading challenge too. DS isn't at all bookish but really enjoyed the two summers he helped at the library.
Doing a selection of the above makes for a nice starter CV at school leaving age.

You could also try getting her into police or fire cadets as they usually volunteer at local events.

Go to your local library! Summer Reading Challenge volunteers start from age 14 and run all summer long.

I think for a lot of teenagers the opportunities will come up if they have a hobby- eg dance clubs often get the older pupils to help with the younger classes.
if it’s wanting experience of working then you can get a paid job ? My daughter’s been working at a cafe on Saturdays since she was 13 but I’m aware part time jobs are tricky to get at the moment.
Babysitting (obvs paid) could have transferable skills?

DD volunteered for a local sports club at that age (but she was an older member). DS volunteered with Beavers (but again he was already an Explorer). Does your DD do any sports or activities and could volunteer with the younger ages?

Try charity shops - my niece is 14 and did her DofE volunteering there.
Also, as lots of other posters have said, the library summer reading challenge.

My DD (14) volunteers at a gymnastics club for little kids and her friend volunteers at a trampoline club at the same time. My niece did park run at that age and I know the library take volunteers ( all for Duke of Edinburgh). Our local RDA wouldn’t accommodate D of E but they have their own volunteer programme.

Some charity shops round welcome a volunteer to put their paperback books in order in the shop. So many don't have the time to file them in alphabetical order. They lose out on sales because of this.

This is what organisations say to kids they don’t really want to volunteer

Thank you everyone for all the ideas. It’s given us a lot to think about!

I know she’s young to think about her CV but she seems to have a clear path in life so I’m not going to discourage her. She doesn’t like not doing anything so 9 weeks off is not fun for her. Her brother is a gamer so can’t wait! wish we could take 2/3 weeks out of it for a holiday but it’s costing us every last penny now to keep her in private school until she’s done her GCSE’s so there’s no holiday for us. Paid work would be the absolute best for her as it would give her a bit of money as well but we were assuming that was impossible her age but we will have a look now

Nonsense. Guiding and scouts has had young leaders for years.

Not necessarily. The charity I work for is regulated (similar to OFSTED) and their criteria is that all staff and volunteers are DBS checked. We’d love to have younger volunteers, but it wouldn’t be compliant with our registration so we aren’t able to.

My 14yo dd is doing DofE and currently volunteering at karate with the younger kids - she does 2h a week, has done since Jan, and loves it! She does attend karate there on another day so had the in that way.

I know other kids who volunteer at younger kids' dance classes, again with the same company they take lessons with though.

Of course YABU to say it is impossible.

What makes it much, much easier is if she is already involved with the organisation of course.

So helping with younger sections of Youth organisations she is already part of, and know within, is a lot easier than starting 'cold'.
Same with helping with sports camps or sports teams when you are known at the club already, to be reliable and hard working and amenable.

Same as baby sitting / playing with dc whilst a parent is wfh - I wouldn't have employed a random 14 yr old, but did use more than one teenager whose abilities I knew of through seeing them help at Cubs, or help with the little ones at Church.

There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about someone whose dd was asked to help at dance camps during the holidays, by her regular dance teacher.

etc etc.

I was lucky because my DD was offered a voluntary role in a gymnastics club by an acquaintance of mine I know through sport. My DD has never done gymnastics but she’s with 3 and 4 year olds who she really loves. Shes done really well and they have actually asked if she wants to stay on in a paid post.

Could she volunteer through girl guides or cadets?