In light of recent world events, the response of many people has been, “What can we do to help? How can we make a difference for good?” While kids may not be able to grasp all that is happening around the globe, they can learn to recognize how they can help others in the communities where they live.

homeschool-giving-back

For helping others to become part of a child’s way of life, it must first become a family’s way of life. Yet if yours is like most families you’re wondering where to start!

Recently, in order to help students and families find meaningful ways to serve the community, our local Christian school held a Service Fair. This would work with any group—either a homeschool co-op, a Sunday school group, or a 4-H group.

First, the students established a committee to run the fair. Then the group held meetings at which they generated a list of organizations and planned the event. The committee not only invited the organizations to send representatives, they also found a venue for the fair, set date and times, invited attendees, set up the room, cleaned afterwards, provided snacks, posters, and greeters. So holding the fair became a service project all in itself.

The participants included

  • A children’s home
  • An organization that provides help with house repairs
  • A group who meet and write letters to congressman and senators concerning policy issues (on which these office holders might be speaking or voting) such as international adoption, aid to various locations around the world, etc.
  • An international clean water project
  • The fire company
  • A domestic shelter
  • A food pantry
  • A soup kitchen
  • A crisis pregnancy shelter
  • Paws with a Cause (host a breeding dog)
  • Meals on Wheels
  • Crop Hunger Walks
  • Bridge Builders
  • Warm Blankets

These groups set up their displays on tables which circled the room.

The Service Fair Committee divided the attendees into small groups. Each group received a clipboard and short list of questions. The groups went table-to-table, asking their questions and taking notes on the answers. (Mostly the adults encouraged the students do the talking and writing.)

What questions did the students ask?

  • What need does your organization meet?
  • How did you become interested in this area of service?
  • When did you begin serving?
  • Did you have to be trained?
  • How long did the training take?
  • What do you do?
  • Can you tell us about one memorable experience?

Some services—like Meals on Wheels—lent themselves well to families signing up on the spot. Others—like the local fire company—helped the students imagine how they might serve a local community in a long term capacity as a teen and then an adult.

Even though the volunteers had to answer the same questions again and again, they so appreciated the chance to share the need and opportunities for service with their community’s young people.

The students and families who attended really enjoyed themselves. In fact, most have already begun talking about when the next Service Fair will be!

 

Renee Ann Smith teaches literature in a Christian high school by day and writes stories by night. She reviews books and shares inspirational posts on her blog Doorkeeper at http://reneeannsmith.com/. You can also find her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ReneeAnnSmith.