As people consider their New Year’s resolutions, more and more come through the doors of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter asking how to help animals in need. Many of these people are students.
“There are so many ways to make a difference to an animal in need,” says Echo Keif, who manages volunteers and community events at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA). “Whether you’re eight, 18 or 80, we can absolutely use your help!”
Every day at the AWLA, dozens of animals are walked, have their enclosures cleaned or receive enrichment and training from volunteers. Volunteers also help with dishes and laundry, assist at the front desk, help with projects around the building, show animals to potential adopters and so much more. Youth volunteers play a large — and expanding — role in many of these activities.
“Some students come to us looking for ways to earn service hours for school or scout programs,” said Keif, “but so many of them are also looking for a way that they can make a difference.”
As a primary resource for humane education across the community, the team at the AWLA is always looking for new ways to connect children with animals and to instill compassion for animals from the earliest ages.
The AWLA’s most popular youth volunteer program is Book Buddies. Available to students in grades 3 through 12, Book Buddies gives volunteers at any reading level the chance to interact with adoptable cats, helping to entertain and socialize the animals while improving their own literary skills.
“I enjoy playing with the animals and with Annie [a feline resident at the AWLA], she actually reads with me, like she sits there and looks at the pages,” said Book Buddy volunteer Imogen.
Parental supervision is required for these 20-minute reading sessions, and interested volunteers can learn more about the program or sign up for a session at AlexandriaAnimals.org/BookBuddies.
Students don’t even have to set foot in the shelter to help. The AWLA offers a variety of at-home projects, which change regularly, from cutting up hot dogs to drawing pet portraits, creating fleece blankets for cats, and even decorating bags for adopters and foster caregivers, each item donated by student volunteers serves to keep animals busy and engaged during their time at the shelter. A full list of at-home projects can be found at AlexandriaAnimals.org/Projects.
Guided by young volunteers who wanted to make a financial impact for Alexandria’s Animals, the Humane Education program launched the Paw Pals program, offering youth volunteers the chance to raise funds and donate goods using their own unique skills. Online materials are available which students can customize to promote their own drives for animal food and toys, host a social media fundraiser, sell handicrafts or take on additional chores to raise money for animals in need. More information and digital materials for this program can be found at AlexandriaAnimals.org/PawPals.
For students looking for a more direct way to help animals, the AWLA also offers regular Teen Service Nights for high school-aged students. Each Teen Service Night session takes place over four consecutive Thursdays throughout the year. Students who register will have the chance to learn about animal body language and enrichment, as well as help with special projects, clean enclosures and even settle animals in for the night.
“We’re excited to provide our eager student volunteers with more hands-on opportunities to work with animals right here in the shelter,” said Humane Education Associate Carly Mercer. To learn more about or register for Teen Service Nights, visit AlexandriaAnimals.org/ServiceNights.
There are many opportunities for young people to get involved and learn more about animals in their com-munity beyond volunteering. At the AWLA, children can enroll in summer camp, host a birthday party or earn a scout badge while learning about the shelter. The Humane Education program also works with schools and educational organizations across the city to offer programs about topics ranging from responsible pet ownership to how students can help animals in need. For more information about these programs, visit AlexandriaAnimals.org/Youth.
“Volunteering from an early age is a great learning experience for children and offers so many opportunities to build empathy for others in their community,” says Keif. “The AWLA couldn’t function without the support of our volunteers, and the efforts of each and every one of our youth volunteers touch the lives of thousands of animals every year.”
For more information about youth volunteer-ing or the AWLA’s humane education program, visit AlexandriaAnimals.org/Youth. For more information about volunteering as an adult, visit AlexandriaAnimals.org/Volunteer.
