Teens Volunteering

Teens volunteering are poised to change the world while gaining valuable skills and experiences.

Are you interested in the idea of volunteering, but not sure what you should do? Consider the following suggestions to provide service to your school and community:

• Participate in Relay for Life
• Volunteer at a nursing home or senior center
• Raise awareness of an issue, such as homelessness
• Start a recycling program or help with an existing one
• Plan a drive for food, clothing, personal care products, or school supplies
• Send letters or care packages to soldiers
• Serve food at a soup kitchen
• Provide childcare
• Tutor
• Volunteer at a hospital
• Plan or join the staff of a charity walk or run
• Volunteer at a nature center
• Give presentations to younger students on important issues such as negative peer pressure
• Read to the visually impaired
• Plan a new student welcome event
• Volunteer at an animal shelter
• Sort food at a food bank
• Beautify the school by planting trees, painting a mural or cleaning up trash
• Plan a fundraiser, such as a car wash or spaghetti dinner, for a cause
• Clean up trash in a park or other public area
• Volunteer at the library
• Share computer skills with new users
• Assist a teacher
• Clean common areas at a shelter

Teens volunteering can have even more fun when participating in community service as part of a group. Volunteering as part of a youth club opens up opportunities not available to individuals. In addition, being part of a student organization can help you gain leadership skills while you make new friends. Groups with a national presence may also offer benefits in the form of scholarships, conferences, and more.

Some student service organizations spring from well-known civic groups. For instance, Kiwanis International sponsors Key Club for high school students and Builders Clubs in middle schools and junior highs, and LEO Clubs are a division of Lions Clubs International. Junior National Honor Society for middle school students and National Honor Society at the high school level focus on service in addition to recognizing scholastic achievement. Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.) hopes to prevent drunk driving and other disastrous choices.

Even clubs that are not completely devoted to service offer opportunities for giving back. Student council assists the student body with event planning and campus beautification efforts. Despite its agricultural roots, the 4-H of today focuses on much more than raising cattle and baking pies. Many local clubs incorporate service activities in order to give back to their communities. Teens volunteering can look for ways to incorporate community service in the organizations to which they already belong. For instance, Business Professionals of America can provide public relations support to a local non-profit or the Pep Club can host a food drive at a home football game.

Make the most of your community service experience by keeping a few suggestions in mind:

• Be prompt and follow through on your commitments, whether you volunteer once a week or once a month. The organization is counting on you.
• Be willing to pay your dues and earn trust. You may have to attend an orientation or fill out a complex application form. These aren't arbitrary requirements, and they should be respected. For instance, a hospital must inform volunteers of patient confidentiality and a school must screen volunteers to ensure the safety of the children in its care.
• Maintain confidentiality. You may see a classmate's mother accepting help at a food bank or a neighbor checking in to the hospital. This is not the time to start gossip.
• Follow all rules and regulations. They are there to keep everyone safe.
• Use volunteering to explore your career options. Do you enjoy working with young children? Do you like planning events? Community service allows you to explore these interests and find new ones.
• Keep a record of your volunteer experience, including hours worked, positions held, and any awards won. This will make it easier to include volunteering on resumes and applications.
• Remember that every task has value. It's probably more fun to play with the kittens at the local humane society, but spending an hour stamping envelopes will help the facility gain donations that will improve the living conditions of those kittens.

Whether you choose to work with kids or seniors, aim to improve conditions at your school or spruce up your neighborhood, you can become part of the legions of teens volunteering and make your own small step towards making the world a better place.

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