Why Volunteer?
Benefits of Volunteer Work for Teens
First, you might be wondering why you should be looking to volunteer while you are still in school. There are plenty of reasons why high schoolers should seek out these volunteer opportunities as teens. Gaining experience, social benefits, making a difference, and increased happiness are all on the list. Following are some of the main benefits of volunteer work for teens.
Boost Your Resume
This is maybe the reason for volunteer work that most people jump to at first — and there’s a reason for that. Whether you’re considering college applications, job opportunities, or even scholarships, volunteering is a great way to show potential employers (or those in charge of admissions) that you are different from other applicants. Volunteering as a teenager can demonstrate qualities such as a willingness to work hard, an increased set of skills beyond the classroom, and good leadership potential.
Make Change in a Realistic Way
Many of us want to better ourselves and better the environment or community we are a part of. While our intentions are often in the right place, sometimes we can fall victim to the vague cliche of wanting “to make the world a better place” without actually knowing how, or taking steps to do so. Volunteering in your community allows you to make a daily impact in a way that is actionable, where you can see the results; it allows you to actually enact change on a smaller, yet no less important, scale.
Meet People
Volunteering can be a great way to meet people in your community. And it doesn’t matter how old you are! These might be people the same age, with the same background as yourself, or you might meet people of different ages and various life experiences. Many volunteer opportunities for teens will help you with networking, improve your interpersonal skills, or just be a fun way to meet new people. Volunteering as a teenager can be a great way to create new connections with others.
Learn New Skills
Many volunteer opportunities for teens require learning to do things that you may not have any prior experience doing. It might be cooking, working a register, or even learning a new language. The opportunity to learn a new skill is invaluable, both when it comes to personal growth and also for future college or job applications.
Help Prepare You for Future Adventures
Volunteering as a teenager can help you to expand your horizons and grow in a way that positions you to be an ideal candidate for future adventures such as gap year programs. At Global Citizen Year in particular, we look for applicants who can work effectively with others, who want to grow, and who have open minds ready for new experiences.