Good schools provide a number of ways for children to grow and develop themselves, from extracurricular activities, sports, charity-led initiatives and community involvement. Not only does community involvement make children more mature and well-rounded, but it exposes children to problems they won't have seen before.
I've called for the advice of this boarding school in Hertfordshire to look at the reasons why community involvement benefits children.
Your child learns how to give back to the community
One of the biggest and most obvious benefits is how helpful children are in bringing a lot of dreams to life. If they're volunteering in a care home for instance, they're going to experience a lot of different elements they won't have seen before. But the smallest things can help people feel valued and respected - your child could be a part of this development.
Your child develops adult skills
A lot of community projects use skills that young adults and people in careers often use to complete their job. Having your child exposed to these social skills early on gears them up for mature personal development and are more likely to be confident and resilient as a result. As your child grows they'll be able to see how they could help more around the home and to make key decisions for themselves.
In some cases, it can help your child's physical health
There are many ways children can give back to the community that don't involve the more common ways you see. Your child might take part in a 5km race or hold a sports day to raise funds for a local community centre or charity. Even more left field, but hugely rewarding, is travelling to a third world country to support a small community by helping build a school or encouraging fitness and healthy eating.
