Grandparent Volunteers for Fundraising

Grandparent Superheroes : Saving the Day with Volunteering

April 21, 2022 in

Grandparent Volunteers are Golden!

Is your committee struggling to get volunteers? You may have a relatively untapped resource right at your fingertips – Grandparent Volunteers!

These days it’s not uncommon for families to have both Mum and Dad working full-time. As a result many Grandparents are taking on the role of stand-in caregiver for their grandchildren. This means that they’ll possibly be around your school or club already.

Getting Grandparent Volunteers involved can have a lot of advantages, not just for your committee but for them as volunteers too.

This is a group of people who have the advantage of having time on their side. Time to contribute, time to learn new skills and time to fill in the gaps that working Mums and Dads often can’t and it’s not unusual for retirees to be looking to keep themselves busy. Sounds like a perfect match to me!

You should never underestimate the value of Grandparents. They can bring years of experience and learning as well as a new perspective to the way we look at things. Don’t forget patience – something many of ‘us’ struggle with!

Just make sure that you check the P&C / P&F regulations in your state about the need for blue cards and other requirements for having Grandparent Volunteers on your committee or helping out as volunteers.

Grandparent Mentoring

Here’s an idea that you might be able to implement at your school if it’s appropriate.

Whether it’s because of location or the fact that some are no longer with us, some children can miss out on the Grandparent experience. This experience can be a really important part of growing up. Social interaction and engaging with older people provides a valuable life lesson for kids.

How about running a mentoring or Adopt a Grandparent program? It could be as simple as one of your volunteers spending half an hour with a student who needs it, or even with a small group of students. Just to hang out, play games and chat. Some schools already run this sort of activity through their chaplaincy program, so talk to your school principal about it.

Alternatively, you could arrange for them to help out in classrooms (particularly in the lower school) with things like reading, games and craft. With teacher aides often stretched thinly across classes, your teachers might be very grateful for the extra help.

This sort of program could be a win-win scenario for your school and those involved but may not work for all schools. The most important thing to take from this article is to make an effort to reach out and not let the valuable experience of these potential new volunteers pass you by.

So make sure you reach out and talk to your ‘grandies’ about your committee and other volunteering opportunities. Grandparents love to be involved with their grandchildren and this is the perfect opportunity for them.

Regina Underwood
Fundraising Whisperer Freelance Writer
Regina is a mother of three and a P&C President. She knows first hand the ups and downs of volunteering.

Originally published 18 May, 2017