5 great places to volunteer with your teen

3. Get outside -- and help the planet
The summer months are an ideal time to combine volunteering with exercise and spending time outdoors. And there are tons of environmental groups across the country that need help with various projects. If you live in Vancouver, consider helping out the Stanley Park Ecology Society through their Ivy Busters program. On the second Saturday of each month, volunteers gather in Stanley Park to remove invasive English ivy. If you're in or near Toronto, think about joining Evergreen's city stewardship team -- you'll learn about native plants and help maintain a naturalized area in a City of Toronto parks site.

4. Build someone a home
If you're interested in doing something tangible, consider Habitat for Humanity, a group that builds housing for families in need. Affiliates across the country need help with construction on building sites -- but these volunteers must be 16 or older. Opportunities for younger teens and children include landscaping Habitat homes, fund-raising, and babysitting for a homeowner while they're working on their house. Ready for a real adventure? Participate in the Global Village program and go on a working holiday, helping build homes for the needy while seeing a new country.

5. Support community events
If you want to volunteer, but aren't able to make the long-term commitment so often required, consider giving your time to a local festival or event -- most of them couldn't happen without their volunteers. Check your local paper for upcoming events that need help, or contact festival organizers. Opportunities abound -- Victoria's Folkfest, for example, for which more than 1,000 people volunteered in 2005, needs people to help out over its 10-day run with everything from performer hospitality to postering. And the best part? As a volunteer, you'll usually get free admission for the entire festival -- and maybe even a free T-shirt.

Whatever activity you choose, you're sure to enjoy some quality time with your child while teaching them what it means to be part of a community. For more suggestions on things to do and links to regional volunteer centres, visit Volunteer Canada's website at www.volunteer.ca.

Page 2 of 2