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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Bronze D of E volunteer ideas

20 replies

Usbornelady · 23/01/2018 18:25

Hi
My daughter is signing up for the bronze D of E award and is keen to hear what other people’s children have done for the bronze volunteering section?
She is only 13 so many options aren’t suitable.
Thank for any advice.

OP posts:
theITgirl · 23/01/2018 18:29

DS emailed his old primary school and volunteered at one of the after school sports club.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 23/01/2018 18:31

Rainbow/ brownies helper?

AnneOfCleavage · 23/01/2018 18:44

Could they ask at their local library if there is a reading group that they can volunteer at or something else at the library.

Would sitting with an elderly neighbour an hour a week count - they are so interesting to chat to and would love the company.

Volunteer at their local drama club.

If you attend church then help at Sunday school.

Sarahjconnor · 23/01/2018 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bobbiepin · 23/01/2018 18:49

Volunteer at parkrun?

AuntieStella · 23/01/2018 18:52

Bobbiepin has beaten me to it.

Parkrun can take volunteers of any age. We have 3 from local school at the moment at ours. They try out all the volunteering roles (and will even be Run Directors one week)

NoBallsHere · 23/01/2018 18:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Abzs · 23/01/2018 18:56

I've been a cub leader and had quite a few dofe participants as young leaders. I'd suggest that if she is in scouts/guides already she might get a better experience volunteering at a different group. Harder initially, but better that neither adults nor young people have preformed opinions of her.

AlexanderHamilton · 23/01/2018 19:19

Dd doesn't do D of E but last summer she volunteered at the local library as part of their Summer Reading Challenge doing activities with younger children & helping sign them up etc.

Malbecfan · 24/01/2018 19:17

I'm co-ordinating it for the first time at school this year and have 68 kids signed up. Mine are helping in charity shops or libraries, helping elderly or disabled neighbours with cooking or shopping, helping their dance teacher with younger kids, helping coach junior sports, helping with beginner musicians. One is helping a neighbour with their allotment as the neighbour has been ill and cannot dig the plot over any more.

GU24Mum · 25/01/2018 08:10

We're struggling too as my DD isn't 14 til the end of the school year so can't volunter at Beavers or a charity shop til then. We have really late school days so can't do something after school which doesn't leave hundreds of options!

EduCated · 25/01/2018 08:15

Brownies/Rainbows she would need to be 14 unless she already is a Guide herself.

Paintspotsonthefloor · 25/01/2018 08:16

Both my children volunteered at the school they attended. Ds volunteered as a school cleaner which led to paid work when he was in sixth form, and dd, who had a great rapport with the art department, volunteered there, cleaning brushes , palettes, and so forth.

We are familiar with the underage difficulties as dd had wanted to volunteer in a charity shop but was too young at 14.

chocatoo · 25/01/2018 08:37

'Helping' with a younger class at anything she does eg dance, sport, brownies, etc.

My daughter volunteered at a charity shop - the manager at the shop had a rota of jobs specially for the DoE helpers - when I suggested that DD should volunteer for longer than her allotted 2 or 3 hours, the manager looked slightly horrified as in oh no that means I'm going to have to come up with more suitable tasks...i.e. I think that sometimes having helpers of a certain age can be quite hard work for the people they are 'helping'!!

DD absolutely loved it though and apparently did an OK job whilst she was there as they were happy to take her back for silver...

whojamaflip · 25/01/2018 09:41

Ds has finished his bronze and is just started on his silver and has helped train the juniors at his martial arts class for his volunteering. Friends of his have helped with scouts, brownies, helping out on an allotment, library monitor in school, park run and one even went along to the local residential home and just sat and talked to the residents for a couple of hours a week which was really appreciated.

Megabeth · 30/01/2018 08:35

DD 1 was already helping with Brownies all from yr 8 so she was able to use that.

DS did odd jobs for a nearby elderly couple, he was already a Scout and didn't want to help at cubs.

A lot of students volunteer in a charity shop on Saturday mornings, they get retail experience and the shops always need volunteers.

Megabeth · 30/01/2018 08:37

one even went along to the local residential home and just sat and talked to the residents for a couple of hours a week which was really appreciated.

What a lovely idea Smile

mimiasovitch · 17/03/2018 22:39

One of mine volunteered at the local old people's home, but she was 14 at the time, if it makes any difference. For gold she's doing hospital radio, which I find utterly adorable for a previously shy and quiet child. The other is currently doing an after school craft club at the junior school.

Notapushymum1 · 18/03/2018 22:06

DS volunteered at his own school helping younger children that struggle with their homework.

Snowyberry · 25/03/2018 11:43

Dd isn't 14 until July. She helps at Rainbows. (She goes to the Guides)

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