Lend a Hand: A Guide to Volunteering for Youth
This publication for youth and adults lists the many ways community members can volunteer to help young people throughout the year.
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Calendar of Volunteering
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JANUARY Join or start an effort to map youth services in your community Make a New Year’s resolution to become a mentor Help a community center organize a youth diversity workshop for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day |
FEBRUARY Send valentines and toiletries, like toothpaste and soap, to a shelter for runaway and homeless youth Take young people to visit your mayor’s office, city council, or State legislature in honor of President’s Day |
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MARCH Aid in a spring musical at the local high school Organize a mural-painting project at a youth-serving agency Encourage your employer to designate your workplace a Safe Place where youth in crisis can get emergency help and shelter |
APRIL Teach youth about financial literacy Take on a project for National Volunteer Week or National Youth Service Day Run a poetry workshop for youth at a residential program |
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MAY Consider becoming a foster parent Coach a sports team or start an exercise club Donate young adult books to a school, library, or youth center |
JUNE Encourage employers to recruit and hire summer interns Drive youth to camp Ask your employer to donate office or business space for summer youth activities |
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JULY Help youth organize a car wash or walkathon to raise money for a drop-in center or a sports team Lead a hiking trip or teach sports skills, such as swimming, gymnastics, or tennis Tutor high school students in Math and English |
AUGUST Donate school supplies to an afterschool center Join a youth group in building affordable housing Organize a “block party” and get to know the young people in your neighborhood |
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SEPTEMBER Organize a used book drive to benefit a local school or youth agency Teach nutrition and meal planning to high school students or youth at a transitional living program Start a peer counseling program, in which youth advise other youth, at your school or workplace or in your community |
OCTOBER Run for office on a youth-friendly platform Join your community’s youth advisory board Help high school seniors fill out college applications at a school or community center |
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NOVEMBER Help a youth shelter by doing paperwork, writing a newsletter, maintaining a Web site, balancing the organization’s books, or giving legal advice Commit to working for a runaway or youth-in-crisis hotline Sponsor a canned food drive for a youth shelter or food bank |
DECEMBER Lead or make donations to a gift drive at a residential youth agency Invite young people to holiday dinners at your home Volunteer at a youth group’s holiday fundraiser |
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Whatever your motivation, it doesn’t take much to help youth all year long.
(Many of the ideas in this guide can be done any time of the year.) |
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This document links to Web sites with information on ways to volunteer to help young people. Inclusion of this information does not imply endorsement by the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY). Moreover, the points of view or opinions expressed on these Web sites do not necessarily represent the official position, policies, or views of FYSB, HHS, or NCFY.
Find Volunteer Opportunities
| Find volunteer opportunities by contacting a local organization that works with young people or by visiting these Web sites: |
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| 2—1—1 [ www.211.org ] |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters [ www.bbbsa.org ] |
| Idealist [ www.idealist.org ] |
| MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership [ www.mentoring.org ] |
| Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network [ www.pointsoflight.org ] |
| President’s Volunteer Service Award [ www.presidentialserviceawards.gov ] |
| SERVENet [ www.servenet.org ] |
| USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Network [ www.freedomcorps.gov ] |
| VolunteerMatch [ www.volunteermatch.org ] |
This document links to Web sites with information on ways to volunteer to help young people. Inclusion of this information does not imply endorsement by the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY). Moreover, the points of view or opinions expressed on these Web sites do not necessarily represent the official position, policies, or views of FYSB, HHS, or NCFY.
Perks of Volunteering
When you volunteer to help young people you get lots of perks, such as:
- Having fun and making new friends
- Investing in the future
- Empowering youth and helping them avoid risky behavior
- Counting hours toward a President’s Volunteer Service Award (the U.S. Government’s way of honoring community service)
- Being a role model
- Helping youth feel a sense of competence and belonging
Lend a Hand! was developed for the Family and Youth Services Bureau; Administration on Children, Youth and Families; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; by JBS International, Inc., under contract No. GS10F0285K to manage the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth.
National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth
P.O. Box 13505
Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505
voice: (301) 608-8090 fax: (301) 608-8721 e-mail: ncfy@acf.hhs.gov web: ncfy.acf.hhs.gov