When individuals give apart of themselves for others through volunteering communities can become stronger. Volunteerism not only can make communities stronger but also the individuals involved. Youth volunteering goes across a wide spectrum from building a house for Habitat for Humanity to volunteering in a soup kitchen to donating clothes or food to a homeless shelter, the list is endless. Today’s youth who are interested in volunteering have numerous opportunities to give back to others and the community, in turn reaping the benefits by improving their own mental and physical health. Volunteerism in youth can open new doors to future benefits and outcomes but first we must understand the concept.
Before looking into the benefits of a volunteer let us clarify the concept of volunteering. A volunteer can be easily defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service” (Merriam-Webster). A volunteer is willing to offer time for an obligation and expect nothing in return. “No clear-cut definition that encompasses all aspects of volunteering exists” (Handy 46). Even though there are numerous definitions, they do not even scratch the surface of what serving others entails and the amount of endless hours, effort, and lives that are touched by volunteers.
The concept of volunteering is much wider than merely giving yourself to your community as an unpaid worker, it is the concept of giving your free will for no monetary gain in hopes to build a stronger community. At a glance, statistics show that female students are more likely to volunteer than males, especially in the higher grades. “In 2016, 42 percent of female twelfth graders said they volunteered at least once per month, compared with 32 percent of male twelfth graders” (Child Trends).
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“In 2016, students planning to complete four years of college were more likely to volunteer than their peers without such plans, at 41 and 24 percent, respectively, among twelfth graders” (Child Trends). High school service clubs such as National Beta Club or National Honor Society are a large contributing factor to the amount of community volunteer hours completed by youth due to the requirements as a member of such clubs. Giving a part of yourself to the community through volunteering will open new pathways to the future of the generations to come.
Understanding the concept of volunteering can lead to the outstanding benefits not only for the community, but for the individuals involved. It has been shown, that youth that volunteer do better academically and tend to avoid dangerous activities. “A panel study of a representative community sample of both volunteers and non volunteers indicated that those adolescents who become involved in volunteer activities have higher educational plans and aspirations, higher grade point average, high academic self-esteem, and a higher intrinsic motivation towards school work” (Johnson).
The youth that give their time to the community are shown to relate more positively to their surroundings and learn valuable leadership skills along the way. The benefits youth can receive from volunteering can include but are not limited to earning respect from peers, finding new ways to help peers, and even developing patience along the way.
Not only can volunteering benefit the youth involved personally, but it can also affect the community around them without even knowing it. The whole aspect of volunteering allows one to connect to the community, but at the same time making it a better place for the future. If the youth in the community would help out with the smallest tasks, it could make a real difference to the lives of those in need. Volunteering can be viewed as a two-way street. The more the youth gives to their community, the more opportunities will arise for the future.
“Not only can you make a contribution to your community and make a difference in someone’s life, you can learn new skills, network for future job contacts, and gain some valuable experience–all of which can help you in your future endeavors” (Saftner). Having a thorough background in volunteering can benefit the youth in ways that cannot be measured with statistics and facts, the volunteers involved will take away many life lessons to carry into adulthood.
Youth volunteers will most definitely learn new skills throughout the process, but what will the outcomes be? “Youth volunteering and social action can also help facilitate ‘social connectedness’ and provide opportunities for young participants to interact with other people from different backgrounds” (Ockenden). Taking early action with volunteer opportunities can guide youth along pathways that didn’t seem possible and open minds to innovative ways to give back as adults. “Additionally, you will create lasting memories and gain a sense of civic pride and responsibility” (Baker). As these young volunteers prepare for college, the numerous volunteer hours will benefit the application process and boost the overall appearance of the applicant.
Building relationships among the community can be very beneficial for those who plan on volunteering in the future and it will expand the ever growing connections within the social network. Having this broad social network and connections can also open doors to career paths. If a charity or organization is impressed by the strong work ethic of a volunteer, there could be a possibility of full-time employment within the establishment. Overall the outcomes of youth volunteering work in hand with the benefits, in order to receive the benefits one must be willing to give the most of themselves for the good of others.
Volunteering can give a bigger perspective of the world, most of the time youth live in a tiny bubble and do not get to experience different people as well as the different walks of life. Taking these opportunities will help youth see the world in a different way and learn from others who are passionate about the community. “Being generous is an important piece of life and if you’re not being generous, you’re actually hurting yourself” (Long). It is important for youth to become involved early within volunteer communities, there is so much more to a fulfilling day then only centering everything around high school activities. Take a step back and assess situations to where others around are in need.
Of course colleges are looking into how much volunteer work a student has done outside of school, this will stand out and show how much a student has given back to the world. Adam Grant has a book titled ‘Givers and Takers’ and his premise is that people that are at the top, the ones who are the most successful, know how to give in the right ways (Long). Instead of saying yes immediately to each and every volunteer moment that arises, find an opportunity that will open new relationships and help build pathways that could eventually lead to a career.
Taking early action to volunteering as youth will help build experiences, companies will be looking for those experiences that make someone stand out above the rest. Meeting new people through volunteer opportunities can expand one’s connections and in turn expanding the network. “When Hurricane Florence came, I realized the difference between the people who did well and those who didn’t were how big their networks were, it was not a monetary thing” (Long). Hurricane Florence was a devastating event for all of Eastern North Carolina, immediately following the hurricane there were multiple volunteer opportunities throughout the community. A perfect chance for youth to build their networks and find future ways to get involved in the community. Building a strong network early in a volunteer career will pave the pathway for future endeavors.
Volunteerism in youth can be the guiding light for the future of the generations to come. Looking deeper into the benefits and outcomes of youth volunteering can help one understand the concept. Giving a part of oneself for the community will lay the foundation for an ever growing network of connecting peers and colleagues. When volunteers come together and work as one, not only will the individuals involved benefit but the situation will allow one to connect with the community and make it a better place. Even though the definition of the word volunteer is clear and precise, the voluntary role has so many different avenues one can take towards a successful, fulfilling outcome of serving others.
