Building stronger communities starts with small acts of service—here’s how Canadian families are making a difference together

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to give back can feel overwhelming for busy families. Between work schedules, school activities, and daily responsibilities, adding volunteer work to your plate might seem impossible. Yet across Canada, thousands of families are discovering that community service doesn’t have to be another burden—it can actually enrich family life while making a meaningful difference.

The benefits of family volunteering extend far beyond helping others. Children who volunteer with their parents develop empathy, social skills, and a stronger sense of community connection. Parents often find that volunteering provides much-needed social interaction and a sense of purpose beyond their daily routines. Most importantly, families discover that giving back together creates lasting memories and shared values.

Here are five practical approaches to community service, inspired by Canadian families who’ve found ways to make volunteering work within their busy lives.

1. Just Step Up and Take Initiative

When Brandi Bedson of Fox Creek, Alberta, saw gaps in her community, she didn’t wait for someone else to fill them. As a working journalist and mother of three children aged 11, eight, and six, Bedson understands the challenge of balancing responsibilities. Yet she’s found that taking leadership roles in volunteer organizations has created a ripple effect of positive change.

“If no one steps forward, kids’ sports teams and other important organizations can get lost,” Bedson explains. “Someone has to take that first step so other people will follow. Volunteers don’t work alone—it’s just like the T.E.A.M acronym: ‘together everybody achieves more.’”

How to Step Up Successfully:

Start Small: Begin by volunteering for existing events before taking on leadership roles. This helps you understand the organization’s needs and your own capacity.

Identify Your Community’s Gaps: Look for activities or services your children participate in that need support. Parent councils, sports teams, and local conservation groups often need dedicated volunteers.

Build Your Team: Leadership doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. Focus on recruiting and coordinating other volunteers who share your passion.

Use Your Professional Skills: Bedson’s journalism background helps her with communications for Ducks Unlimited Canada. Consider how your work skills could benefit volunteer organizations.

Age-Appropriate Ways Kids Can Help with Leadership:

  • Ages 5-8: Help set up chairs or distribute flyers for meetings
  • Ages 9-12: Take photos at events or help with simple registration tasks
  • Ages 13+: Create social media content or assist with event planning

Bedson serves as volunteer chair for her local Ducks Unlimited Canada chapter while also supporting her children’s baseball and highland dance activities. Her flexible work schedule helps, but she emphasizes that leadership roles can be adapted to fit various lifestyles.

2. Capitalize on Your Strengths and Interests

Jackie Richard of Hamilton, Ontario, discovered that volunteering aligned perfectly with her personality and needs as a stay-at-home mother. With a seven-year-old daughter, Richard found that school volunteering provided both social connection and meaningful contribution.

“I like being around other people, especially kids. I like the company!” Richard shares. “I feel fulfilled and I have more of a social life now than I did before having my daughter. Volunteering means you get out and meet people.”

Finding Your Volunteer Sweet Spot:

Assess Your Natural Talents:

  • Love organizing? Consider coordinating school events or fundraisers
  • Enjoy teaching? Offer to help with reading programs or homework clubs
  • Have artistic skills? Volunteer for drama productions or art classes
  • Good with technology? Help organizations with websites or social media

Consider Your Current Life Stage:

  • Parents with young children often thrive in classroom volunteering
  • Empty nesters might enjoy mentoring programs or community boards
  • Working parents might prefer evening or weekend opportunities

Match Interests with Community Needs:

  • Environmental concerns → local conservation groups
  • Education passion → literacy programs or school councils
  • Health and wellness → hospital auxiliaries or community health fairs
  • Arts and culture → local theaters, museums, or festivals

Making School Volunteering Work:

Richard’s approach to school volunteering includes classroom assistance, lunchroom supervision, field trip chaperoning, and helping with her daughter’s dance recitals. These activities offer several advantages:

  • Flexible scheduling: Most school volunteer opportunities work around your availability
  • Direct benefit to your child: You see firsthand how your efforts improve your child’s educational experience
  • Built-in social network: You’ll meet other parents and school staff
  • Skill development: Many parents discover hidden talents through school volunteering

3. Get the Whole Family Involved

Tanys Klaeboe and her husband Dave of Coquitlam, British Columbia, have turned community service into a family affair. With children aged nine and seven, they’ve found creative ways to involve everyone in their volunteer work at BC Children’s Hospital.

“There are tasks our children are able to do with us and we try to involve them as much as possible and let them know every contribution is helpful,” Klaeboe explains. “And the boys have supportive grandparents who are eager to take them overnight so we can cook.”

The Klaeboes’ Family Volunteer Strategy:

Working from home as an accounting consultant, Tanys has flexibility to coordinate large-scale volunteer projects. She and Dave organize and cook summer, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve buffets for over 300 patients and families at BC Children’s Hospital, while also supporting the hot lunch program at their children’s school.

Age-Appropriate Family Volunteer Activities:

Preschool (Ages 3-5):

  • Sorting donations at food banks
  • Decorating cards for seniors
  • Helping plant flowers in community gardens
  • Participating in charity walks or runs

Elementary Age (Ages 6-11):

  • Serving food at community dinners
  • Reading to younger children at libraries
  • Making bag lunches for homeless shelters
  • Collecting and sorting recycling for fundraisers

Middle School and Beyond (Ages 12+):

  • Teaching younger kids basic skills
  • Leading group activities at community centers
  • Participating in environmental cleanup projects
  • Organizing charity drives at school

Tips for Successful Family Volunteering:

Prepare Your Children: Explain the purpose behind your volunteer work and what they can expect. Discuss why the cause matters and how their help makes a difference.

Set Realistic Expectations: Start with shorter time commitments and gradually increase as children show interest and capability.

Debrief Afterward: Talk about the experience as a family. What did everyone learn? How did it feel to help others?

Create Traditions: The Klaeboes’ seasonal hospital meals have become family traditions that their children anticipate and take pride in.

Build Support Systems: Having grandparents or other family members who can help with childcare during certain volunteer activities expands your options significantly.

4. Don’t Run Yourself Ragged: Log Only the Time You Can Afford

Sonja Babic, a Toronto mother of an eight-year-old and six-year-old twins, emphasizes that meaningful volunteer work doesn’t require huge time commitments. As a stay-at-home parent active in her children’s school community, Babic has learned to maximize impact while protecting family time.

“Even just two or three hours one time makes a big difference to your school,” Babic notes. “Put in one shift at the school fun fair, family literacy event or field trip. It’s easy!”

The Power of Micro-Volunteering:

Modern volunteer opportunities increasingly accommodate busy schedules through micro-volunteering—small, manageable tasks that collectively create significant impact.

Examples of Micro-Volunteering:

  • One-time event assistance (2-3 hours)
  • Monthly committee meetings (1-2 hours)
  • Seasonal activities like holiday concerts or sports tournaments
  • Project-based help like yearbook assembly or garden cleanup

Setting Healthy Boundaries:

Start with Your Schedule: Look at your week realistically. When do you have pockets of time? What days work best for your family rhythm?

Communicate Your Limits: Be upfront with organizations about your availability. Most groups appreciate honest communication over unreliable participation.

Choose Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to do one volunteer role well than to spread yourself thin across multiple commitments.

Build in Buffer Time: Don’t schedule volunteer work during your family’s busiest periods or back-to-back with other commitments.

Making the Most of Limited Time:

Batch Similar Activities: If you’re helping with school events, volunteer for multiple similar tasks rather than learning new roles each time.

Partner with Other Parents: Share volunteer responsibilities with friends or neighbours. You can alternate who takes point on different events.

Leverage Your Commute: Some volunteer activities, like making phone calls for fundraisers, can be done during travel time.

Use Waiting Time: Transform time spent waiting during kids’ activities into volunteer work like stuffing envelopes or updating contact lists.

Babic serves on her school’s parent council and volunteers occasionally in classrooms, demonstrating that consistent but limited involvement can be highly valuable to organizations while remaining sustainable for families.

5. Claim It as “Me” Time

Karen Wolverton of Vancouver, mother to children aged 13 and 11, offers a refreshing perspective on volunteer motivation. As co-owner of Lush Cosmetics and active philanthropist, she’s discovered that helping others can be deeply fulfilling on a personal level.

“Helping can be a selfish activity. I’m not sure who feels better—the person in need or the person who offers a hand for them to grab,” Wolverton reflects. “Volunteer activities become something you look forward to! There’s no feeling that compares to being able to help.”

The Personal Benefits of Volunteering:

Mental Health Advantages:

  • Reduced stress and anxiety through focus on others’ needs
  • Increased sense of purpose and meaning
  • Enhanced self-esteem and confidence
  • Social connection and community belonging

Skill Development:

  • Leadership experience through committee work
  • Communication skills through public speaking or presentations
  • Project management through event coordination
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded individuals

Personal Growth:

  • Exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences
  • Development of empathy and compassion
  • Sense of accomplishment and achievement
  • Opportunity to explore new interests and passions

Wolverton’s Volunteer Approach:

Her involvement ranges from local fundraising for BC Children’s Hospital through the Festival of Trees to international philanthropic work visiting and supporting orphanages in Mexico and Africa. This variety allows her to pursue different interests while making diverse impacts.

Finding Your Volunteer “Me Time”:

Match Activities to Your Energy Levels:

  • High-energy people might enjoy event coordination or hands-on service
  • Introverts might prefer behind-the-scenes work or one-on-one mentoring
  • Creative types could focus on marketing, design, or artistic projects

Choose Causes That Inspire You: Wolverton’s passion for children’s welfare drives her hospital and orphanage work. Your motivation might be environmental protection, animal welfare, education, or community development.

Set Boundaries Around Your Volunteer Time: Treat volunteer commitments as seriously as other appointments. Let family members know this is your dedicated time for personal fulfillment through service.

Creating a Family Volunteer Plan

Step 1: Family Discussion

Hold a family meeting to discuss volunteer opportunities. Let each family member share causes they care about and activities that interest them.

Step 2: Research Local Options

  • Contact schools, places of worship, community centers, and local nonprofits
  • Check websites like VolunteerCanada.ca for opportunities in your area
  • Ask friends and neighbours about their volunteer experiences

Step 3: Start Small

Choose one or two opportunities to try initially. Commit to a short-term period (like one school term) to test the fit.

Step 4: Evaluate and Adjust

After a few months, discuss as a family what’s working and what isn’t. Don’t be afraid to change direction if needed.

Step 5: Build Traditions

Once you find volunteer work your family enjoys, consider making it a regular tradition that becomes part of your family’s identity.

Overcoming Common Volunteer Challenges

“We Don’t Have Time”

Remember Babic’s advice—even two to three hours can make a meaningful difference. Look for one-time opportunities or seasonal activities rather than ongoing commitments.

“My Kids Are Too Young”

Many organizations welcome families with young children. Focus on activities where kids can help within their abilities, like simple sorting tasks or being present during community service.

“I Don’t Know Where to Start”

Begin with organizations you already interact with: schools, sports teams, places of worship, or community centers. These familiar environments make it easier to identify needs and get involved.

“I Don’t Have Special Skills”

Every volunteer organization needs people willing to do basic tasks: setup, cleanup, registration, or simply showing up to support events. Special skills are helpful but not required.

The Ripple Effect of Family Volunteering

When families commit to community service, the benefits extend far beyond the immediate recipients of their help. Children develop social responsibility and empathy. Parents build networks and find personal fulfillment. Communities become stronger and more connected.

Perhaps most importantly, family volunteering creates shared experiences and values that bond family members together while teaching children that they have the power to make a positive difference in the world.

The five Canadian families featured here demonstrate that community service doesn’t require perfect circumstances or unlimited time. Whether you step up as a leader like Brandi Bedson, find social connection like Jackie Richard, involve the whole family like the Klaeboes, maintain realistic boundaries like Sonja Babic, or claim volunteering as personal fulfillment like Karen Wolverton, there’s a path to meaningful community involvement that works for your family.

The key is starting somewhere, with something, and discovering that giving back to your community often gives more to you than you ever expected to receive.