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Teens Volunteer:
Getting Started, Opportunities in Service
I'm glad you are interested in volunteering. This site offers a lot of information for volunteers but for the next few days my blog will just offer some tips and information for teens and students who want to (or have to volunteer).
It really doesn't matter so much why you want to volunteer. I hope you are looking forward to it, but I think you will enjoy it even if you are a little apprehensive now. Some teens just like the idea of doing something for someone else. Maybe your parents volunteer or maybe someone helped you in the past and now you'd like to do something nice. Other teens have to volunteer because their school requires community service or because they got in trouble and "volunteering" is their punishment.If you can choose where you volunteer, there are many choices. Generally you will be helping a nonprofit organization. You can check
Wikipedia
(which is a nonprofit organization) for the definition. Here's my short version: An organization that provides funding, services, programs or information to the general public, without making money doing it. Make sense? Here are some of the major categories of nonprofits: - Environment - this could be the global Sierra Club or a local recycling group
- Humanitarian aid - like the
Red Cross
helping out where there is a war or earthquake
- Animal protection - there are national organizations and local shelters
- Education - many private schools, summer programs, preschools, libraries and community schools are nonprofit (this is different than a public school, which is run by your local government)
- The arts - big museums and theatres or your local gallery, playhouse or chorus
- Social issues - organizations that work to change or improve conditions for people (racism, homelessness, prejudice) or to help people in difficult situations (provide food, shelter, counseling). Clubs like
Girl Scouts
also would be in this category
- Charities - generally exist to give money to nonprofits, they might be trusts or foundations
- Health care - many hospitals are nonprofit and there are many organizations that work to find cures for diseases like
American Cancer Society
- Politics - usually groups form to support a candidate or party, they can be national or local
- Religion - all religions in the United States are considered nonprofit organizations
- Sports - like a local league or club sport
I have a feeling that's enough reading for today. I will post more tomorrow!
Go here for a list of Community Service Ideas
Check here for more on Holiday Break or Christmas Volunteer.
And, BTW, if you are already volunteering you're a Nonprofit Champ! Write and tell me about what you are doing. Thanks!
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