Volunteering is an incredible way to get your company out of the office (or out of their homes) and gather to make a lasting difference in the community.
As the weather gets warmer and outdoor recess is the norm again, there are tons of opportunities for you and your company to volunteer with Playworks New England. See something your team might be interested in? Be sure to fill out our Corporate Volunteer Interest form or connect with Leah Kelly (leah.kelly@playworks.org) to see how your team can volunteer with us this spring.
Playground Paint
-
Suffolk volunteers paint the Orchard Gardens blacktop. What is a Playground Paint? Help us transform a recess yard into a dynamic, engaging play space! Volunteers will assist by cleaning and painting four-square, basketball courts, and kickball fields on the blacktop at one of our partner schools.
- Logistics: 3-5 hours total with 20-60 volunteers
- Why it matters: Having an engaging, well-organized playground is critical to a safe, active recess and ensures that children are maximizing the impact of each minute. Students know what games are available, they have clear boundaries, and as a result, can transition faster and be more active throughout recess. By participating in a Playground Paint, your team is making a difference in the lives of all of those students by making sure that they have a recess space that promotes safe and healthy play!
- Bonus: See a Playground Paint in action! Check out the transformed recess yard at the DeValles School in New Bedford, or click through our Instagram highlight to see what a day in the life of a playground paint volunteer looks like!
Play Day
-
A Fidelity volunteer plays at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School during a Play Day. What is a Play Day? Employees can serve as Assistant Coaches at recess to help Playworks staff members facilitate games and act as positive adult role-models. This is the perfect opportunity to volunteer if your team wants to see what Playworks programming looks like in action, and wants an opportunity to play some 4-square, basketball, or jump rope with kids!
- Logistics: 1-2 hours with 5-15 volunteers, pending COVID-19 restrictions and school partner guidelines
- Why it matters: As our Coaches teach important social-emotional skills to students in their schools every day, it’s important to have those skills reinforced by other positive adult role models. Your team will be excellent examples of what it looks like to show respect, inclusion, and teamwork at recess, and show students that even adults like to have fun and play.
Corporate Recess
-
New Balance volunteers after participating in a Corporate Recess. What is a Corporate Recess? Playworks staff will lead a team-building workshop with games that we commonly teach our students, but with a corporate twist on them as we focus on key social-emotional skills needed to be successful in the workplace. This high energy, interactive, and game-focused “recess” is sure to be a hit in your office!
- Logistics: 2-3 hours with 20-200 volunteers
- Why it matters: After years of not working together in the office, having a fun workshop designed to foster empathy, communication, and problem solving skills is important to reconnect and rebuild team relationships. This opportunity will help open up important conversations around what it means to work on a team and how to reach your goals together.
There are so many fun and engaging ways for your company to volunteer with Playworks this spring. Each opportunity will leave you and your team with a deeper understanding of the Playworks mission and the critical work that we do in schools and with students across New England every day.
