that builds empathy, gratitude and connection.

Parents and children (no matter how young) volunteering together, not only benefits your community but also strengthens your bond and helps your children develop lifelong values.

Why volunteering with your children matters

Research from Australia shows that young people who engage in volunteering or prosocial behaviour are less likely to experience poor mental health. In one study from the Australian Institute of Family Studies, it was found that children who volunteered before age 13 had around a 28 per cent lower chance of poor mental health.

Broader Australian research has shown that volunteering leads to better psychological wellbeing and increases social and human capital.

Volunteering can also reduce symptoms of depression, improve self-reported health and lower mortality – almost five million people in the NSW contributed more than 1.5 billion hours of service.

What does this mean for your family? When you engage in volunteering with your children, you model service, empathy and community engagement – traits not always emphasised in a purely academic or sporting holiday agenda. Your children can see and feel the impact of giving back, building self-efficacy, responsibility and connection beyond their usual peer group.

What it looks like in practice

Volunteering with your children doesn’t mean you need to sign up for a 9.00am to 5.00pm shift every day. Rather, it’s about creating opportunities that match the rhythms of your family holiday – a few hours here, a one-day project there, something you all do together.

Start with conversation. Ask your child what cause interests them whether it be the environment, animals, older people, or food insecurity for example. Engaging their interests means they’ll feel ownership of the experience.

Choose age-appropriate roles. For younger children (PreK or early primary), choose opportunities where supervision is strong and tasks are simple such as planting trees, cleaning local parks, or preparing donation packs under your guidance. For older children (upper primary to Year 12), you can move toward mentoring roles, event support, or helping run community programs.

Be flexible and reflective. After the activity, talk about it – “What did you notice? How did it feel helping someone else? What surprised you?” These reflections cement the value of the experience.

Embed the habit. Use the holidays as a starting point, then look for small ways to keep volunteering during term time. Research suggests early volunteering builds lasting civic engagement.

How to find opportunities around Sydney

If you’re based in Sydney, there are many accessible options that welcome volunteers and families:

Mother Maria of Paris Greek Orthodox Mission was established in 2019 to provide assistance to disadvantaged you, families and homeless people.

The Smith Family (NSW) offers volunteer roles in its Learning Clubs and community programs.

Playgroup NSW runs volunteer programs supporting early-years families, ideal if you have younger siblings.

Anglicare Sydney invites volunteers across programs supporting families, older people and local communities.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney (RMHC) supports families with seriously ill children and welcomes volunteers to its “Blue Family” program.

GoVolunteer and local council portals list one-off or family-friendly opportunities, from tree planting to food-bank support.

Then there are organisations specifically set up to offer your child an experience in helping others.

The NSW Government lists opportunities for volunteering for young people.

Kids Giving Back offer hands-on, meaningful volunteering programs for kids and families in Sydney.

Our Big Kitchen is a community run, non-denominational, industrial kitchen where meals are prepared for distribution to needy people across Sydney. They have volunteering opportunities tailored for children.

Tips for a successful family volunteering experience

To make the most of volunteering with your children, consider these practical ideas:

• Align the role with interests and capacity. If your child loves animals or nature, consider bush-care or wildlife volunteering. If they enjoy cooking, help prepare meals at a food-bank.
• Keep time realistic. Shorter commitments — a few hours or half a day — keep energy and enthusiasm high.
• Dress for the purpose. Comfortable clothes, hats, water and sunscreen are must-haves.
• Make it social. Invite friends or another parent-child pair to join you. Service combined with connection doubles the reward.
• Celebrate the impact. After volunteering, ask your child how it felt, what they learned, and what they might do next.

Long-term benefits you may not have read about

Beyond the immediate rewards of helping an organisation or community group, there are deeper benefits to volunteering with your children. Because when you do this together, you’re not simply ticking a box, you’re nurturing values and capacities that carry into adulthood.

Volunteering builds what researchers call human capital (skills and networks) and social capital (trust and relationships). It also correlates with stronger educational outcomes – engaging in voluntary work is associated with higher academic attainment. When you volunteer alongside your children, you help them look beyond themselves, see the difference they can make, and build a sense of agency that lasts.

Bringing service home

You don’t always need to join a formal program to make service meaningful. Try simple, home-based acts:

• Create care packs for neighbours or local charities – your children choose items and help with delivery.
• Take part in a beach or park clean-up and talk about the environment and stewardship.
• Pick a “helping theme” for one week of holidays – gratitude, kindness, or giving, and plan a small action each day.
• Encourage your child to lead by choosing a cause and helping plan your next volunteering activity.

Volunteering with your children over the school holidays is far more than an act of service. It’s an investment in connection, character, community and growth. As they see and feel the difference they make alongside you, they internalise values of empathy, contribution and resilience. For parents, it means modelling active citizenship and helping your child appreciate the broader world beyond their school routine.

At All Saints Grammar, we believe in educating the whole child academically, socially and ethically, and we see community service as a vital part of that journey. We are committed to helping young people grow into engaged, thoughtful and compassionate citizens. Service is an important element of an All Saints Grammar education. To learn more, download our prospectus.