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There are many reasons why community involvement is beneficial for children, from boosting their confidence to helping them develop empathy for others. Their school may give them opportunities to get involved in their local neighbourhood, but you can also support them in learning about the world around them and what an important role they have to play in shaping it. Read on to learn more about why community involvement is so important for children from an independent school in London.
Building relationships
Through participating in community projects like litter picking or cooking for the homeless your child will get to chat to different kinds of people and be exposed to new ideas and viewpoints. Talking to people of all ages and backgrounds will strengthen their communication and interpersonal skills and broaden their perspective on life. Your child may even form strong friendships with community members or find a mentor who can provide valuable advice and support as they grow and mature.
Developing skills
Your child will develop a variety of useful practical skills from taking part in community activities; for example, they might learn how to cook a meal or tame a garden, or how to talk to customers or clean a house. These skills will stand them in good stead throughout life, and may form the basis of their CV when they’re looking for their first job.
Understanding hardship
Often children don’t realise that not everyone’s life is the same as their own until they get out into the local community and witness the hardships some people face. Your child’s viewpoint will change when they start talking to people who are less privileged than them, and this will help them be more empathetic towards others and want to help them where possible. They may also feel a deeper sense of gratitude for their own life and the positive things in it.
A sense of purpose
Getting involved in their community gives children a feeling of belonging and responsibility, and that they have a purpose in life. They start to feel like they have an important role to play in improving other people’s lives or protecting the world around them. Your child may even develop a lifelong passion for activities like sustainability or helping vulnerable communities which they can explore further as they move into adulthood.
As you can see there are so many advantages to helping children take part in community activities and it’s an experience they’ll not easily forget.