How do I invite young volunteers (under 13s) to my group?

This article shows group managers how to engage under 13s in volunteering.

As a group manager, you are not able to invite anybody under the age of 13 to join your group (and, by extension, Be Collective). Under 13s can join Be Collective but with restricted access, overseen by a parent or guardian through a family group.

For more information on the process we've put in place to allow under 13s to join and volunteer through Be Collective, see Can young people (under 13) volunteer through Be Collective?.

You can, however, invite their parents or guardians. They can then add the under 13s they're responsible for as part of their family group. This gives the parent or guardian the ability to review all groups and opportunities their children apply to, before their applications reach the volunteer manager.

For more information on how family groups are created and how they work to facilitate under 13s volunteering safely through Be Collective, see How do I start a family group?.

The parent or guardian can then direct their child to apply to join your group. Once they've done so, they'll only be able to see and apply for opportunities marked as suitable for their age.

Under 13s cannot be messaged directly by group managers – all contact within the Be Collective platform must be with the parents or guardians of under 13s.

We also encourage all volunteer managers to support parents/guardians and under 13s by having clear child safety guidelines in place and providing clear instructions on how parents/guardians can add under 13s to Be Collective and monitor their activity.

If you require more support in inviting and managing young volunteers, please don't hesitate to contact us at help@becollective.com.