There are often concerns raised in the mind of teens as well as some parents how old do you have to be to volunteer? But don’t worry, here we are telling you about volunteering in this blog post. Before we talk about the requirements and the correct age to become a volunteer let’s know more about volunteering.
Table of Contents
What Is Volunteering?
A volunteer is a person who agrees to do something without being forced or paid to do it, especially for an organization such as a charity. Volunteering is just another word for community service. It mostly includes non-profit organizations and some religious organizations.
It might mean serving food to poor people, blood donation, refugee camps, or cleaning beaches and rivers. For some people, volunteering can be their passion which they want to carry forward in their life.
It can be very helpful as it adds value to your college applications and resumes. It helps you to build a strong community with fellow volunteers, organization leaders, and other folks.
Volunteer Work
Volunteer work is not only limited to organizations. You can start volunteering at the school level, society level, and even with your family. You can start your own red cross club at your school in which you can organize blood donation camps.
Some volunteers organize camps with their society members, friends, and family to provide blankets, food, and medical facilities to poor and needy people. Even working on a small scale counts as volunteering.
Volunteer Criteria: How Old Do You Have To Be To Volunteer?
If you are interested in volunteering opportunities, there is no age limit for this service. However, due to child labor and federal government regulations in many countries, you must be at least 18 years of age to volunteer. Youth who are interested in volunteering can go to volunteer.gov and apply online.
Most organizations set up specific requirements to become a volunteer, for example, minimum age limit and required skills. In many organizations, the minimum age limit is 18 years. There are many reasons why these organizations set age limits.
For example, preventing child labor, chances of injuries, or parental permissions. Some organizations also require specified skills that are not found in teenagers. As a result, this becomes a reason why they set age limits.
Sometimes volunteers may find it hard to fit in an organization as they may not meet the required skills or they may not find any interest in the volunteer work they are doing. These are some reasons which why organizations put requirements for volunteers.
However, even small children aged 5 or 6 years can become a volunteer at a small level. Parents can help their children develop the skills to become a volunteer by engaging them in activities like a trash pick-up project in your society playground.
Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteering can be very fun and creative if done with proper interest. It develops the potential of young talented minds to create better ways especially to help people and the world. Through their fascinating ideas, these young minds can create a better way to lead a life by using their skills to benefit other people.
One positive aspect of volunteering is that you don’t have to only volunteer physically. There are many volunteer opportunities available online like many charitable organizations. In these organizations, you can contribute to volunteering by paying them without doing any physical activity.
Benefits Of Volunteering
Volunteering develops many new skills and provides knowledge about many things. It adds to your experience and helps you to face real-life challenges with ease. It provides a sense of satisfaction and achievement to the people involved in it.
Volunteering also provides you with a sense of purpose. Through this, you can feel both your confidence and self-esteem increase within you. It helps you to share your talents, personal experiences, and teachings with other volunteers.
See Also…