Forum: Make volunteer spaces family-friendly so the young can learn to care

Recently, my family comprising my husband, our children – two teenagers and an eight-year-old – and I visited a prominent local soup kitchen known for its massive daily meal production. My sister and her nine-year-old daughter joined us. We hoped to instil a spirit of giving in our children by involving them in a meaningful effort of community service.

While the sheer scale of such a charitable operation is impressive, our experience highlighted a significant gap in how the next generation of volunteers is engaged.

Despite official policies that explicitly invite children as young as five to volunteer alongside their parents, what we encountered was decidedly unwelcoming.

The reception towards our children was hostile. And instead of a quick safety briefing, our children were subjected to graphic, intimidating accounts of past anecdotal accidents where volunteers injured themselves in the kitchen. Being directed to another area to “watch television” rather than assist in the kitchen felt like an insulting alternative for a family that showed up specifically to serve.

While my teenagers were eventually allowed to help pack food, my youngest child was barred from even the simplest tasks, such as closing the lids of takeaway boxes. All of us were eventually asked to leave the area despite the absence of any visible hazards like knives or machinery.

It was disheartening to run up against rigid barriers or inconsistent safety protocols that deterred participation even when children were well behaved and under direct parental supervision.

Involving children in community work normalises a service attitude because when children see their parents and older siblings labouring for others, altruism becomes a lived family value rather than an abstract concept.

Simple tasks like sorting vegetables or packing meals teach children that they can make a tangible difference.

While safety is a paramount priority, it should not be used as a blanket reason to exclude families eager to serve. When policies on the ground contradict “family-friendly” registration stances, it creates a confusing and disheartening environment for young and eager hearts.

​If we want to build a more compassionate Singapore, charitable institutions must not just be efficient providers, but must also nurse the spirit of volunteerism for our young to learn that every person regardless of age has a dignified role to play in supporting the disadvantaged.

Jolyn Tang