Teens have many volunteer options, including hospitals, home building programs, Red Cross, parks and recreation centers, libraries, animal shelters, and local organizations. Volunteering can enrich the community, provide work experience, and explore career paths.
Volunteer options for teens are plentiful. Many non-profit organizations and public organizations may need volunteers, and some high schools now require teens to complete a certain amount of volunteer hours in order to graduate. Even if your high school education doesn’t make it a requirement, volunteering can be a way to enrich your community, gain work experience, and even explore different career paths.
When you’re looking for teen volunteer options, start with your local high school or high school. School counselors may have lists of organizations that will provide ideas for groups that are looking for volunteers, and schools may even ask for your help with the school or other schools in the district that need support or that offer chances for teens to mentor or mentor young people. students. Also, look into your Parks or Recreation Center, local hospitals, or any non-profit organizations you support (such as animal shelters, Red Cross, churches, or political organizations) for the best chance of volunteering.
There are many different types of volunteering options for teens, and you’re sure to find more than this article can list. But here are some ideas to get you started as a successful volunteer.
Hospitals can offer many different ways to volunteer. Some hospitals still run strip programs, and others have less formal programs where you can visit patients, work in a children’s life center with hospitalized children, or run errands for patients. Don’t underestimate the value of volunteering at local convalescent hospitals and long-term care facilities. While this work can be more difficult, many people in convalescent homes are away from their families and can really be assisted by a friendly visitor, someone to talk to, or even someone to read to them. If you have a special skill like playing the piano, another instrument or singing, use it to provide entertainment for people in convalescent homes, which can help create a richer life for residents.
Home building programs like Habitat for Humanity offer volunteer options for teens. Check individual programs for age requirements. You can be a dynamic part of actually building homes for deserving families, and you’ll learn a lot about building and construction in the process.
Red Cross programs and many blood banks need teenage volunteers. In fact, the Red Cross has an entire Junior Red Cross dedicated to providing volunteer options for teens. You may get chances to help others directly, work in the office, help with education, or fill a variety of other roles.
Parks and Recreation Centers often run camps with mostly teenagers. If you enjoy working with children and are considering a career in teaching, look into day camps that offer these teen volunteer options. Teens can volunteer for a year or two and then qualify for paid positions as instructors. Alternatively, these centers may offer programs such as cleaning up local parks or streams.
Libraries always need extra hands, especially in the summer when more children are in the library. Get hands-on bookshelf experience, read stories to children, help oversee sections of a library, or learn to peek through books for people. If you have good computer skills, you can provide extra help by working with people who surf the Internet from library computers.
Animal Shelters and Wildlife Rescue give teens a chance to get hands-on working with animals. You may need to do some cleaning work, but you also have the chance to decide if a career working with animals is right for you.
Teens may want to volunteer but don’t have a lot of time to spend on volunteer activities. If you are unable to enroll in a regular program, look for unique activities that also make a difference. For example, you could volunteer to work at your school or church’s festival or yard sale, which might take a few hours but won’t require a commitment beyond that.
Don’t forget the value of occasionally helping out in your own neighborhood. If you have a neighbor who needs a favor like babysitting or running errands, why not volunteer when you get the chance? Even if these volunteer opportunities don’t show up on resumes, they are a chance to improve the community you live in.
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