Families & Kids
Kids
Do you want to find a community service project in your neighborhood? Is there a problem that you'd like to solve in your community or neighborhood? Do you want to create your own community service project? CaliforniaVolunteers and our partners can help!
Would you like ideas for how you can serve in your community? Visit USA Freedom Corps for Kids.
Is there a problem in your community that you'd like to help solve? You can learn about planning your own project with help from Disney and Youth Service America.
The Tiger Woods Foundation and Target support Start Something, a program that using community service to help kids make a difference in their community.
Teachers
Would you like to involve your students in community service projects or teach them about the value of serving?
You can learn about key elements of effective service programs, integrating service with educational goals and sample projects through the Students in Service to America Guidebook or the California Department of Education's CalServe Initiative.
Visit the Constitutional Rights Foundation's website for resources to link service activities to your civic education lesson plans.
If you'd like to teach your students about the history and importance of philanthropy, Learning to Give can provide you with lesson plans, activities and resources.
Plan a service project linked to the legacy and values of Cesar E. Chavez using our resource materials.
For other resources to support youth service, visit Youth Service California.
Parents
Would you like to involve your child in community service as part of an organized group? Perhaps you'd like to volunteer together as a family. If so, the following resources can help.
Youth service clubs are groups of youth who come together to volunteer and help others in their community. Clubs can be affiliated with a particular family, neighborhood, community, school or church. To learn about starting a club or find existing clubs, visit Kids Care Clubs or Kids Korps USA.
If you'd like to learn more about family volunteering or explore examples of service projects, please visit Family Cares, a program of the Points of Light Foundation.
Each year, Disney and the Points of Light Foundation sponsor Family Volunteer Day, the Friday before Thanksgiving. Family Volunteer Day is a great way to introduce your family to the joys of volunteering.
To search for child or family-friendly volunteer opportunities in your local community, use the advanced search function of CaliforniaVolunteers.org, and search for Kids Welcome opportunities.
Community Organizations
Community organizations can support youth service by engaging youth volunteers in activities that meet local needs. Organizations can recognize the efforts of their youngest volunteers by becoming a "certifying organization" through the Governor and First Lady's Service Award program.
Community organizations can also learn more about effective ways to recruit, engage and supervise youth volunteers by downloading:
Potential Roles for Youth
Supervision of Youth Volunteers
Tips for Agencies Working with Young Volunteers
For additional technical assistance, you can consult your local volunteer agency.
Everyone
National Days of Service provide opportunities for people of all ages and background to serve in their communities. Each day has a theme and a national sponsor. Examples of National Days of Service include National Family Volunteer Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Join Hands Day.