Youth Volunteer Services
Debbie Emery, 201-489-9454, x202
Program Director
demery@bergenvolunteers.org
Young people feel compassion for people in need. They want to do something for a cause in which they believe. They are looking for meaningful opportunities to serve. They feel that their involvement can and will have a positive impact on their community.
 
Community Service
Community service by youth is often called youth service. It is intended both to strengthen young peoples' sense of civic engagement, and to help them achieve their educational, developmental and social goals.
More and more, youth service is a requirement for advancement, for example for a high school student to advance to the next grade level or to graduate or a Scout to advance to the next rank.
Click here for a list of Community Service Projects at agencies that use volunteers ages 10 and older.
Youth Leadership Training in Community Service
The staff of the Volunteer Center can deliver Youth Leadership Training, a state-of-the-art training program designed to teach leadership and community service skills to middle and high school-age students. The program was originally created by Prudential Financial and developed with funding from the Prudential Foundation. In 2004, the program was officially transferred to the Points of Light Foundation and renamed the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute.
Take a look at this training and the curriculum www.pyli.org/institute.html.
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generationOn
 generationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. As the youth division of Points of Light Institute, generationOn has brought the nation's leading youth service organizations and programs under one umbrella including New York-based Children for Children, The League, Learning to Give, Points of Light Institute's Kids Care Clubs, HandsOn Schools, and HandsOn Network's youth-driven programs. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution.
Educators, parents, families and community organizations will find the resources needed to ignite the power and potential of young people to become leaders and problem-solvers, successful students and active community members. generationOn will also be a platform for all youth service and community organizations to work together to help kids discover their potential through the transformative power of service.
generationOn offers many helpful Tool Kits, project ideas and guidance, below select what you need help with:
Project Ideas
What's your cause?
What matters to you?
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Service Learning
Service-learning actively engages students in meaningful and relevant service activities as part of the academic curriclum.
Service-learning projects work best when they fit the ages and developmental abilities of the students, include interesting and engaging service activities, explore the context of the underlying societal issues the service addresses, and address needs that are important to the community being served.
Ways to Increase Youth Volunteerism
- Ask them to volunteer.
- Encourage them to get involved at an early age.
- Encourage them to participate in community groups, faith based organizations, student government and school clubs and projects.
- Be a mentor to youth.
- Look into opportunities for young people to take courses that include or even require community service.
- Volunteer as a family
How can the Volunteer Center help?
- Work with school administrators, teachers, service advisors to develop or enhance strategies for community service/service learning in their schools.
- Work with students, service clubs to develop and plan service programs and projects strengthening their sense of civic engagement and supporting the important role that youth play in the betterment of society.
- Work with programs and agencies utilizing volunteers to help them understand the value of youth volunteers. Help them to develop strategies for engaging and managing youth volunteers.
- Work with community and faith based organizations serving youth looking to involve youth in social and civic awareness and their important role in their community.
For Teachers
Are you trying to come up with ways to use service in the classroom. Service Learning, melding service and curriculum can take ideas. Visit the generationOn website for detailed lessons plans, and ideas.
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Volunteer Center’s Youth Advisory Council
Our Youth Advisory Council is a group of educators and administrators in the public, private and parochial education systems, advisors for community and faith based organizations and students. The Council’s mission is to promote volunteerism and community service among young people choosing to make an impact on their community.
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Youth Volunteer Links
Make your mark on the world. Kids and Teens can find a ton of information about service and volunteerism.
This site is a great source of information on developing service learning programs, tool kits, resources.
Encourages young people to create their own vision for making a difference in their community and provides them with the resources and support needed
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