When young people are actively involved community service projects, they are contributing to the strength of their community while also building the strength of their character.  Through quality service experiences, youth can develop important skills such as critical thinking, a sense of civic responsibility, and an increased sense of self efficacy that will be useful to them throughout their college and work lives. The sense that they can, and should, participate in their communities creates a strong foundation for their future civic engagement.

The Benefits of Youth Volunteering

PERSONAL BENEFITS:

• Increased self motivation and improved academic success
• Opportunity to discover new skills, talents and interests
• Hands-on experience builds greater self esteem
• An inside look at how organizations operate
• Critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork development
• Take a look at the “real” working world
• Networks to future opportunities and professional references

COMMUNITY BENEFITS:

• Volunteering isn’t just about personal career development, it’s about;
• Working with others to accomplish greater things
• Improving lives of people in the community

It’s estimated that more than 15 million youth between the ages of  12 - 18 actively participate in volunteer service. (www.nationalservice.gov)

Community Service/ Volunteerism

When young people are involved in community service, it strengthens their sense of civic responsibility and helps them achieve educational, developmental and social goals.

For a list of youth volunteer links and resources click here.

Service Learning

Service-learning actively engages students in meaningful and relevant service activities as part of the academic curriculum. 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
• Address needs that are important to the community being served