Volunteer opportunities for younger kids for Questionland Seattle

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Volunteer opportunities for younger kids

My son (now 10) and I had been volunteering consistently with Purrfect Pals for three years. It had been HIS idea when he was 7 -- a way for some mama and son time and a way to help. The day before yesterday, they decided he's too young and kicked him out. Obviously, I went with him.

We're both pretty sad and need a new place to help out ... one that appreciates young hands and minds. We'd prefer the east side of the water since we're in the Bellevue area and drive time can cut into helping time.

Thank you for your ideas:)

mamaandson asked in Other Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report

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Russ Campbell, NWEBS

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Well, first off, how short sighted of Purrfect Pals to take such an action.

I would have to assume after three years of accepting both of your services that something has gone awry in their administration or their insurance coverage to take such an action based solely on age alone.

I talked to someone at the Seattle Humane Society (locations on the eastside) that said to work with animals a volunteer has to be 18 years of age, but that they would accept a much younger person working in their pet food bank.
http://www.seattlehumane.org/

There are other cat rescues in the area. I found one called MEOW (http://www.meowcatrescue.org/) that might be worth contacting or visiting.

The problem that you will have is probably more based on insurance restrictions than doubting the sincerity or skill of a child volunteering to work with animals. It seems that showing up in person and talking to someone face to face (make an appointment) might be a good tact to impress the decision makers as to the maturity of your son. How about getting a letter of recommendation from Purrfect Pals as to the amount of time that you both have spent volunteering for them to use as an ice breaker. It appears that finding a place to volunteer working with animals will require some tenacity and you may find that the age of your son is an issue based solely on their insurance risk.

If you are open to other venues (not animal related) I would think that there would be many other possibilities (food banks, clothing banks, etc.). You might start with contacting the volunteer coordinators of the City of Bellevue (http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/volunteer.htm) and working from there. Whoever you talk to, always ask for a reference to another place to contact, call or apply - every person in this work knows of other places and people in the community.

Russ Campbell, NWEBS answered in Other Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report

2 comments by mamaandson and Russ Campbell, NWEBS…

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Thank you for such a quick response!

Yes, it's a long story having to do with the bottom line of money. Of course I understand; a nonprofit needs every resource it can to continue its mission. But the way it was handled was extraordinarly poor. BUT that's truly not the point:) I sincerely want for us to have a consistent volunteer opportunity.

I have called a few places, including food banks where we might just bag up donated items, and have run into the age limit as well. (While we'd like to stay with animals, it's the giving back that's important.) MEOW, too, has an age limit; I checked.

But I like the idea of contacting specific cities. That's a wonderful, wonderful resource I hadn't realized was there.

Thank you again!

mamaandson commented about 1 year ago | Report

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I just checked that link I included for Bellevue and it includes the last parenthesis so doesn't appear to work (just delete that and reload and the link works fine). You should also keep some records and mementos of your volunteer service - develop a resume, if you care to think of it that way. This may help to open doors a bit early for your son in the next few years as he is older, but still under the traditional age being accepted.
We haven't opened the subject of working with other species of animals or other animal venues. My community concerns birds (mostly parrots) and their are some local sanctuaries (this would not include touching or handling birds - if you want that you need to be a bird owner) and the other thought was getting in touch with local zoos (might include joining "friends of ..." societies, etc.)

I just wouldn't want to stifle an interest in one so young. There are always those stories you read about some adult person in their profession saying, "Well, I started my interest in working with animals when I volunteered at the age of 10."

Russ Campbell, NWEBS commented about 1 year ago | Report

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