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(from August 1994, Youth Update newsletter)

Family Volunteering: One Family's Story

With so many people concerned about families, many organizations are searching for ways to strengthen families. One often-overlooked way to reach families is through family volunteering. By having parents and their children serve others together, they grow closer together and build shared values while also contributing to the community.

Through its Family Matters initiative, the Points of Light Foundation surveyed about 450 human service agencies about their experiences with family volunteers. The survey, which is reported in Family Matters: The First Year, gives insight into both the opportunities and challenges of emphasizing family-centered service or volunteerism.

In general, the survey found that a relatively small percentage of volunteering occurs in families with children or teenagers. As a result, families do not experience the reward and growth that come through serving together. Yet an overwhelming percentage of agency staff believe that family volunteerism is effective and rewarding for everyone.

Given the potential and value of family service or volunteerism, why is it relatively rare? Some significant barriers block the way. Yet these barriers can be overcome. Here are some suggestions:

Design Projects That Are Suitable for Families.

While all types of activities can be suitable for families (if designed appropriately), families are most likely to get involved in projects that involve working with children and youth, friendly visiting, being a host family, delivering meals, working with the aging, recreation and sports programs, and environmental projects. People of different ages can serve together in these relational activities, making them particularly attractive to families.

Capitalize on Service as a Learning Experience.

The top reason agencies say families give for volunteering together is "to teach values of service and community involvement" (70 percent say it's a reason). And 57 percent of administrators say families volunteer because they feel "social responsibility to give back to the community." Yet too few service projects include intentional time for reflecting on the experience: Why are there hungry people in such a rich nation? What can be done about pollution in rivers? What is happening in families and schools that cause so many children need special tutoring?

Encourage Families to Serve Together.

Instead of insisting that families split up "so they'll get to know other people," let them enjoy the experience of spending quality time together. After all, agency administrators believe the next two top reasons for families to volunteer is to spend time with other generations in the family (57 percent) and to get to know each other better while they serve (53 percent).

Be creative and flexible in scheduling. Getting entire families to have compatible times on a calendar is the top barrier noted by volunteer agency staff. Announcing events well in advance, keeping time commitments relatively short, and identifying times that are most flexible for families are good first steps. It's also vital to have a school calendar in hand when planning.

Intentionally Include Families With Young Children.

Volunteer agencies note that one of the major barriers to involving families is the difficulty of including young children in volunteer projects. Yet families that develop patterns of service early in life are much more likely to sustain that commitment through the years. Young children may not be useful in building a house, but they can be the key to a delightful visit to a nursing home or an after-school program. And they can help to pick up litter as long as a parent is free to hold hands with the youngster. Patience with the lack of productivity now will reap the benefits of committed service in future years.

Connect With Social Issues That Concern Families.

Whether they are concerned about violence or medical bills or the state of education in the city, families have direct contact with important social issues in the nation. The Family Matters project identified and described outstanding volunteers across the country. These volunteer families first became involved in service because they were compelled by a particular issue.

As organizations develop programs to address family issues, it's important not only to meet the needs of families but also to build strengths in families. In the process, organizations can contribute to building bonds between youth and parents while also fulfilling community needs.

Family Volunteering: One Family's Story

Volunteering is a part of life for the Gandrud family of Minneapolis, Minnesota.When a family friend needs help moving, the family chips in to help. When someone is sick, they bring food or mow the lawn. They've worked together on carnivals and haunted houses to raise money for their school. But perhaps the biggest service the family has provided is to be a foster family for 15 years.

For Bob Gandrud, the father, the values of family service were instilled as a child on a farm. "If someone got hurt or sick," he recalls, "all the families would get together to help plow the field, take in the crops or do whatever needed to be done. It was a good thing for whoever was sick or hurt, but it was also good for the families who helped. It brought us together."

Being a foster family wasn't originally planned as a family project. "I started looking into foster care as something I would do," says Nancy Gandrud. "But I quickly realized that it was a family affair." Everyone in the family participated. Everyone in the family helped with late-night feedings and diaper changes. In the process, "We all learned a lotÑabout life, about death, about choices, and about each other," Nancy says.

The parents say they never consciously taught their three children the values of helping others. The kids just learned by being part of it. As one of the children, now an adult, says: "I can't put into words what you get back. It's just such a good feeling to know you're helping someone."

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