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Vol_Youth.webpJoin Our Community as Family

At Peace4Kids, volunteers are more than participants - they’re trusted, consistent adults in the lives of youth in foster care. That consistency is everything.

Each year, volunteers provide the heart and hands behind nearly 80% of our programs and services. Whether you’re helping with snacks, mentoring through art, or simply showing up with compassion, you’re creating a space where youth feel safe, seen, and celebrated.

Our Saturday programs are rooted in creativity, wellness, life skills, and connection - and our volunteers are the heart of it all. When you join us, you're not just supporting youth... you're joining a movement grounded in heart-centered relationships.

 

🔁 What’s the Commitment?

To volunteer with Peace4Kids, you must be 18 years or older and ready to build lasting connections.

We ask volunteers to commit to:

  • 2 Saturdays a month (5.5 hours each)

  • At least 1 year of service

Why? Because just like any meaningful relationship, what you put in, you get back. The more consistently you show up, the stronger your impact - and the more rewarding the experience becomes for you and the youth you support.

 

📅 How Long Does It Take to Get Started?

The Volunteer Engagement Journey typically takes 6–8 weeks to complete, depending on your availability and how quickly you move through each step.

The more frequently you attend, the faster you’ll be ready to volunteer independently. Trainings are offered regularly, and self-paced portions give you flexibility.

🗓️ Upcoming Volunteer Dates

  • RSVP for an upcoming Orientation (Required first step): Saturday, July 12
  • Logistics Training (Next required step, after you complete your application - you'll choose one):
    ➤ Option 1: Saturday, July 19
    ➤ Option 2: Saturday, August 16

✨ Note: Volunteer Orientations & Trainings run in cycles. To get started this season, please plan to attend the July 12 Orientation and one of the listed Logistics Training dates. Miss this cycle? The next Orientation cycle begins in October.

We’ll walk with you every step of the way - no guesswork, no pressure. Just a clear, supportive pathway into a deeply connected community.

 

 

⬇️ Your Volunteer Engagement Journey Starts Below

Scroll down to explore each step in detail. Once you're ready, sign up for a no-commitment Orientation - we’d love to meet you.

Orientation is your first step into the Peace4Kids family. You’ll join us onsite, connect with staff, volunteers, and youth, and explore what it truly means to be part of our “Community as Family.”

You’ll:

  • Learn about our mission, values, and our strengths-based, heart-centered approach

  • Meet the Peace4Kids family - including youth, staff, and longtime volunteers

  • Participate in a short Fit Reflection to help you decide if this opportunity aligns with your intentions

  • Stay for lunch if you’d like - our treat!

✅ No commitment required. It’s just a first step to see if Peace4Kids feels like home.
🔗 Sign up for Orientation

Your journey becomes official.
After attending Orientation, you'll complete a short online application to help us get to know you better - your interests, availability, and how you’d like to contribute.

This helps us:

  • Make thoughtful placements

  • Understand your strengths

  • Prep your volunteer profile

🕒 Takes about 20 minutes.
🔗 Link to the application is shared after Orientation!

How we do what we do - safely and in sync.
This in-person session covers everything you need to know to navigate Saturdays with ease and confidence. You’ll learn:

  • Safety protocols + youth engagement roles

  • Our volunteer scheduling system

  • Best practices for creating a consistent and nurturing space

You’ll also begin your DOJ fingerprinting and clearance process here.

🕒 Held every 2 months | 3.5–4 hrs | Live Scan available onsite

Learn to engage youth the Peace4Kids way.
This interactive training takes place over two evenings and introduces the essential mindset and tools that guide how we build relationships with youth. You'll connect with fellow volunteers, reflect on real-life scenarios, and explore:

  • Engaging youth the Peace4Kids way

  • Understanding childhood trauma through a healing-centered lens

  • Equity, justice, and our strengths-based approach

  • An introduction to HAVS™ - Hear, Acknowledge, Validate, Shift:
     our signature process for consistent and compassionate engagement with youth (and all humans)

This shared learning experience lays the foundation for trust, presence, and purpose as you step into your volunteer role.

🗓️ Live via Zoom | 4 hours total, delivered over 2 evenings
💡 You can begin volunteering onsite while completing this step!

Practice with a guide by your side.
Within two weeks of onboarding, you’ll join us for a Saturday session and be paired with an experienced volunteer. You’ll observe, engage, and learn in real-time - with full support.

This is your chance to:

  • Ease in at your own pace

  • Ask questions and learn by doing

  • See the impact of relationship-based volunteering firsthand

🕒 One Saturday | 8:00am–1:30pm

"When I walked into Peace4Kids for the first time, I felt like I had found home"