Youth Volunteerism

 

The Youth Volunteerism section of our website provides a listing of volunteer opportunities for people under the age of 18. The navigation menu on the left has opportunities listed in a number of categories for youth to choose from. Each opportunity has a contact number to sign up to volunteer.

 

Reasons to Volunteer

Think about how much you receive when you give and consider why you want to volunteer. You may have several different reasons. Here are just a few of the many possible motivations identified by other volunteers:

 

* to share a skill

* to get to know a community

* to demonstrate commitment to a cause/belief

* to gain leadership skills

* to do your civic duty

* to donate your professional skills

* to have an impact

* to learn something new

* for freedom of schedule

* to help a friend or relative

* to be challenged

* to explore a career

* to help someone

* to do something different from your job

* for fun!

* to keep skills alive

* to have an excuse to do what you love

* to be an agent of change

* because of personal experience with the problem, illness, or cause

* to stand up and be counted

 

You will probably have some special reasons of your own. Remember that the motivations you have to select the place to offer your services may not be the reasons why you stay. Once you're on the volunteer job, you will continue to serve as long as you feel that your efforts are accomplishing something, that your talents are appreciated, and that you make a difference. And if you also like the people with whom you work, so much the better!

As long as you are truly serving through your volunteer work, isn't it wonderful that such an exchange occurs? In fact, it tends to strengthen your commitment to volunteering when you can see the benefits to both the recipient of your efforts and to yourself. And it is much more comfortable than "charity" because it upholds the self-esteem of those with whom you volunteer.

Copyright Energize, Inc., used by permission.