At NeighborLink Indianapolis our typical volunteer age ranges in the 30-50+ area. However, we have had a fair few groups of high school students come and volunteer on a Saturday morning for a few hours. There is something so energizing about these teenage laborers; Whether it is their first time volunteering for a nonprofit organization or old-hat for them, there is a sense of recognition that they’re helping someone besides themselves for no reason other than they are physically able to do so and it is invigorating.
Research has shown that teenagers who actively engage in volunteer opportunities are more responsible, have a higher self-esteem and resilience. For projects like ours, teens typically will walk away from a job site having a deeper understanding of what poverty can look like in their own community as well as how to do a home repair project. In addition to what volunteering does to a student on the inside, regular volunteerism among high school students certainly has shown to be rewarded by scholarships and college acceptance.
According to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the act of volunteering is associated with a 27% higher odds of employment. Even if students are looking to move into the trades associations; (though we love students who are!) they can still gain valuable experiences in practical skills, leadership, communication and time management skills are all visible on any one of our worksites.
One of the best things we have discovered from our younger volunteers is their willingness to do anything that is asked of them. Their parents may have different experiences when directing their teen to clean up their room, but in our experience we have been greeted with eagerness and flexibility so long as we explain the purpose of what we’re doing and the how of doing it.
If you have a group of high school students with energy to spare and time on their hands, consider having them volunteer with NeighborLink Indy for a project or two. Contact our Volunteer team today.