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Teens and Volunteering: Community Service 101
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An estimated 61 million people in the U.S. volunteered at least once between September 2007 and September 2008 according to a report released by The Bureau of Labor Statistics. While both the level and rate of volunteering were, essentially, unchanged from the prior year for most groups - there was one segment of the population that saw significant change: 16-19 year olds saw an increase of 1.4 percentage points in their volunteer activity versus the prior year. The survey did not include those younger than 16, but based on what I've seen happening at my son's school, rest assured this age group is making a difference, too.
Encouraging your teen to do volunteer work is one of the most important things you can do for them. Studies show that teens who volunteer perform better in school than those who do not. In fact, volunteering provides several benefits for teenagers including a feeling of being valued for their contributions, higher self-esteem, the aquisition of valuable new skills and a sense of contributing to the greater good...and a lifetime of wonderful memories!
It's easy to find suitable volunteer opportunities for your teens in New York. Here are just a few places to look:
VolunteerMatch.org - is supported by a number of national foundations and individual philanthropists. The site is easy to use - just type in your location and a few key words and the site will provide a range of age-appropriate opportunities from which your teen can choose - both long term and short term. A recent sampling included:
Brooklyn After School Arts Program
VolunteerNYC.org - is the Mayor's Volunteer Center in partnership with The United Way of New York City. Again, simply type in your criteria and the site will provide you with volunteer opportunities. I found this one a little less user-friendly than volunteermatch.org in that it doesn't clearly indicate the appropriate age-range for volunteers. Still, they provide all the necessary phone numbers and contact information for anyone who's interested in learning more about a particular opportunity and a drop down menu makes it easy to keep it in the neighborhood for younger volunteers. A recent sampling included:
Volunteer Readers for Pediatric Out-Patients
City Parks Education Volunteers
Additioal volunteer opportunities can also be found at:
The local Ronald McDonald House which serves to provide a home-away-from-home for families who travel seeking medical treatment for their sick children.
Habitat for Humanity's Youth United program in which teens get involved in planning and building a home for a family in need.
The ASPCA is always looking for help - and it's a great way to help our furry friends, if your apartment is small enough already!
So, what's everyone waiting for? Go Volunteer! And make a difference.
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