Youth and Family Friendly Volunteering



We encourage youth to volunteer independently and for families to volunteer together! We offer many opportunities for engagement, depending on the requirements of each agency's project.
 

How do I find youth-friendly opportunities?

  • Click on "Find an Opportunity" in the grey toolbar at the top left of our site
  • Choose which search results you'd like to look at
"For Youth under 13" OR
"For Teens 13-17"



Click on the Name of the Opportunity to view the details about the individual project. The minimum age varies depending on the agency and activity.



You can also:
  • Scroll down in the green Advanced Search to "Additional Filters"

  • Click the + sign next to "Appropriate For"

  • Under "Age of Volunteer" you can select the range you are looking for, and the results will show all opportunities that fit that age range. Check the age listing for each project as the minimum age varies depending on the agency and activity.
     
  • Click "Refine" to refine the search
     
  • You can also input additional search criteria if you'd like using the other "Additional Filters"

 

When do I need a youth waiver?

For projects that HandsOn is managing (Sign Up projects led by a Volunteer Leader or our Special Events/Large Days of Service). These projects will be indicated as such with this logo:



Youth volunteers under the age of 18 must have a youth waiver form signed by their parent or guardian. The form can be found on the confirmation page after sign up or by downloading it below. Bring the signed waiver with you on the day of the project for each project. 

HandsOn Youth Waiver

 

What does the minimum age and minimum age with an adult mean?

The minimum age means a youth of that age can sign up and attend unaccompanied.
With the minimum age with adult, youth must be signed up with a parent, guardian or responsible adult via the team functionality.

Example:
On a project: If the minimum age is 16, then any volunteer whose account with our site shows they are 16 years+ can sign up as an indivdual. 

If the minimum age with adult is 12, then any youth who are age 12-15 must be signed up as a part of a team, so that their parent/guardian/adult signs up for the project with them. Watch the video on how to create and manage teams.
 

What if I'm under 13?

We wish to protect the privacy of our younger volunteers who are under age 13. Volunteers under the age of 13 are not able to sign up for individual accounts through our website due to the Federal Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Parents or other responsible adults will need to create a team to volunteer with and sign up with children under 13. See the video on how to create a team and visit our Volunteer with a Group page.
 

Notes about teams

Please note: simply creating a team doesn't mean you've registered them for any projects. You will need to go the page of the actual project you wish to register members for.