Sharing volunteerism with your exchange student

One unique way an exchange student can enrich the community is by visiting the local primary school and sharing their culture with the younger students. They can broaden perspectives and shape futures by discussing their language and traditions from back home.

Helping feed those in your community who need a warm meal is an essential and direct way to make a difference in people’s lives. Whether it’s through a school club or an outside organization, you and your student can gather canned food to donate to a pantry or spend a weekend serving food at a homeless shelter.

Visit a nursing home to play a game, eat a meal and brighten the day for the people living there. It’s an easy way to bring a smile to someone’s face and a chance for your student to meet British from an older generation.

What better way to give back than playing with some furry, four-legged friends? Head to an animal shelter to spend time socializing with the animals and help with their feeding, watering and grooming.

In some towns you can join local efforts to pick up trash on the road, at a park or along the banks of a river. And of course, there’s nothing stopping you from picking up litter on your own!

More ways to help:

• Help out a local veteran or military family
• Organize a book drive
• Help paint and repair a home
• Plant a community garden
• Have a bake sale for a local charity

We would love to hear abourt your volunteering efforts and how you are making a difference. Get inspired to give back and help out in your community by posting your photos on Facebook and Instagram with #EFgivethanks.