Combating the effects of homelessness becomes an even more pressing and critical mission when children are involved. Horizons for Homeless Children is leading the fight in Massachusetts to help alleviate the trauma and stress of homelessness on both children and their families by providing high-quality early education, vital opportunities for play, support for parents, and crucial advocacy on behalf of some of our most marginalized citizens.
The Playspace Program provides safe, age-appropriate spaces for children to learn, grow, and play. We match volunteers to a specific Playspace, where they are a consistent and positive presence in the lives of young homeless children.
Our Playspace Activity Leaders (PALs) are the heart of our Playspace Program. Our corps of 1,000 PALs staff our more than 90 Playspaces across the state and bring joy to thousands of children. We currently offer 340 Playspace shifts a week—which is 680 hours of play each week for the children living in shelters. Playspace not only gives children time to play; it also gives their parents time to take classes, pursue permanent housing opportunities, or just enjoy a needed break. For many of the young children who reside in shelter, their earliest and most formative years have been filled with instability and frequent transitions. It is important for our program to serve as a stabilizing and supportive force in their lives, so we require PALs to make a volunteer commitment of two-hours a week for a minimum of six months. PALs are assigned to a shelter with a consistent day and time each week for their Playspace shift. The majority of our shifts take place Monday through Thursday in the evenings. A smaller number of programs also have morning or late afternoon shifts.
Applicants 16-17 years of age may complete PAL training and volunteer with parent, guardian or mentor supervision.
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