FAQs

Kids Giving Back is a Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation that offers meaningful, hands-on volunteering experiences for children, teens, and families. Our programs aim to nurture empathy, community engagement, and a lifelong commitment to giving back.

Parents: We run various programs for children and families throughout the school term as well as during school holidays. Learn about our kids and teens programs.

Schools: If you’re looking to incorporate purpose-led activities and volunteering experiences into your curriculum, learn about our school programs.

Corporates: We can design a family friendly CSR program for your staff and their families. Learn about our corporate service programs.

Our kitchen is completely nut-free. We are experienced in accommodating participants with a range of allergies and can create personalised plans where needed. This might include participants wearing gloves when handling ingredients or being assigned alternative tasks to avoid allergen exposure. If you have specific concerns, please contact us – we’re committed to providing a safe and inclusive experience for everyone involved.

We hold most of our community programs at the Kids Giving Back hub in Paddington, Sydney. But we can also run our school and corporate programs in your location.

Although we’re a not-for-profit organisation, every program we run incurs costs – and the fees you pay help us cover staffing, resources and other overheads.

Any profits made go directly back into the organisation, so that we can continue to give young people and their families an avenue to help those in need.

Yes! Studies show that being kind helps stimulate the production of serotonin – which is associated with feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

Research also suggests that young people who volunteer experience better mental health, more confidence and stronger social relationships. They also cultivate employability skills and contribute to building better communities.

(Source: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY 2015))

Cancellation Policy:

• Full refunds are available for cancellations made 15+ days in advance.
• 50% refund or transfer to another session if cancelled 8-14 days in advance.
• No refunds or transfers within 7 days of the session.

Currently, our programs are available only within New South Wales.

Service learning is an educational strategy that incorporates community service into a school’s learning objectives.

Service learning is an effective way to teach children about civic responsibility and create community awareness and engagement. It also helps students develop empathy, resilience and self-confidence – equipping them with skills to solve real-life problems.

We offer customised Service Learning programs for both primary and secondary schools. Teachers can collaborate with us to co-design a program that suits your curriculum and school calendar – or choose from our existing offerings. Contact us to get started at info@kidsgivingback.org.

Students who participate in our programs will:

• Develop empathy, compassion, and social awareness
• Gain real-world experience in community service
• Build teamwork, communication, and leadership skills
• Meet service requirements for initiatives like the Duke of Edinburgh Award

Although we’re a not-for-profit organisation, every program we run incurs costs – and the fees you pay help us cover staffing, resources and other overheads.

Any profits made go directly back into the organisation, so that we can continue to give young people and their families an avenue to help those in need.

Our kitchen is completely nut-free. We are experienced in accommodating students with a range of allergies and can create personalised plans where needed. This might include students wearing gloves when handling ingredients or being assigned alternative tasks to avoid allergen exposure. If you have specific concerns, please contact us – we’re committed to providing a safe and inclusive experience for all students.

We run programs for:

• Primary (Years 3–6) – Hands-on, age-appropriate volunteering
• Secondary (Years 7–12) – Deeper engagement in social justice, leadership, and impact-based projects.

Absolutely. You can choose from:

• One-off sessions – Great for introduction or enrichment.
• Ongoing programs – Spread across a term or school year for lasting impact.

Yes. We ensure all programs meet safety and compliance requirements, including:

• Comprehensive risk assessments (download here)
• Verified Working With Children Checks
• First aid-trained staff
• Allergy management and COVID-safe protocols
• Child safe organisation School Risk Assessment (see policies here)

Yes. Students aged 14+ can complete the Service component of their Duke of Ed Award through our Youth Changemakers program. With our dedicated Duke of Ed Assessor, we can coordinate directly with your school to ensure a seamless experience. Students can easily sign up through the Kids Giving Back App (Helper Helper) and choose from over 80 charity partners. Learn more here: kidsgivingback.org/student-volunteering-opportunities.

Most programs run at our Hub: Level 1, 220–232 Oxford St, Paddington (upstairs at PADDO RSL) Incursions at you school for Sydney based schools (travel limits apply) We also run school holiday programs in Paddington and Parramatta, and for Sydney-based schools, we are able to come to you (travel limits apply). Please email us at info@kidsgivingback.org for more details.

We can accommodate small groups or full year cohorts, with a minimum of 20 students. We recommend 1 teacher per 30 students. Our trained facilitators support program delivery and logistics.

Programs are designed for students in Years 3–12. Activities are age-appropriate and can be adapted for different learning levels and group dynamics.

• Closed-in shoes
• Tied-back hair
• Morning/ afternoon tea if you are coming to the Cook4Good
• A positive attitude!

All materials, tools, and ingredients are supplied.

Yes. We regularly tailor activities to suit a range of ages, making mixed-age programs both effective and engaging.

Definitely! We work with many charities that need specific items – ranging from lunchbox goods to winter clothing. We’ll even create a personalised flyer for your school community. You simply collect and drop off the items, and we’ll handle the rest. Contact us at info@kidsgivingback.org

All of our programs proceed as scheduled, rain or shine. As the second half of this excursion involves walking outdoors, we kindly ask participants to bring an umbrella and/or raincoat in case of wet weather.