Looking for a fun activity to try with your teen? Have you considered volunteering together? Teens who serve as volunteers benefit in the same ways as adults. They learn skills associated with the volunteer work they choose. Encouraging our teens to reach out and help others is not only a great bonding opportunity for you and your child, it can help their future.
Volunteering as a teen can:
- Support career aspirations and give them something to put on their resumes
- Increase socialization – meeting new, like-minded people is always good!
- Help them learn about time management
- Increase their ability to recognize and be grateful for what they have
- Instill a sense of pride, knowing their actions helped another
Some statistics, taken from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, support the belief that teens who volunteer can benefit greatly:
- Youth who volunteer are three times more likely to volunteer as adults
- Eighty-one percent of Americans who have volunteer experiences when they are young give to charitable organizations as adults
- Youth involved in community service are more likely to have a strong work ethic in adulthood.
As the parent of a teen, you want the best for them. Knowing how beneficial volunteering can be for your teen, would you be willing to step up and volunteer alongside them?
According to The Corporation for National and Community Service, a youth from a family where at least one parent volunteers is almost twice as likely to volunteer as a youth with no family members who volunteer. Among youth in families where both parents and siblings volunteer, 86 percent volunteer themselves, and 47 percent are regular volunteers.
There are many sources of information to help you find volunteer opportunities in your area.
Here is just one of the great resources: www.volunteermatch.org
Happy volunteering!
XAP 
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