26 Volunteer Opportunities for High Schoolers: In-Person + Virtual United Way is a nonprofit organization that works to improve communities through education, income stability, and health initiatives. An official website of the United States government. Parents can join a PTA or PTO to get more involved in their child's school. For schools that track community service hours, this is a great way to keep students involved when many nonprofits are closed. If students stay engaged with nonprofits or other community organizations for an extended period of time, it can serve the same purpose as a job, experts say. Get our weekly email with a curated list of fun family activities, delivered to your inbox every Thursday! It was impactful because it gave me a chance to work with others and mentor them, which helped me expand my own life perspective., I volunteered as part of schools Interact Club, part of the national Rotary Club organization. Not ready to commit to a regular gig? Inspired to volunteer? Online Tutoring. It is important to showcase to students that a national crisis is a great way to showcase humanity and volunteer. Why High School Students Should Consider Volunteer Opportunities Taking calculus in high school may give you an admissions edge, but there are other paths to advanced math. It was the first time anyone ever looked up to me and it opened my eyes up to the impact I can make no matter how small. I revamped our membership requirements so that all active members had to participate in at least 1 major service activity, 2 fundraisers, and 3 smaller service activities per semester (compared to having only to participate in one small service activity per semester). 40 Online Community Service Ideas for High Schoolers It encourages you to look to the needs of your community and use your resources to pass on good to those who need it the most. Check the website for details on how to give back to those most in need in the mid-city area. 20 Fun & Meaningful Community Service Ideas for High School Students High school students have a lot more power than they may think. Check the website for details. A massive advantage of volunteering is that the skills you gain can go straight on your CV, and the social connections you make could be the foot in the door . To find a volunteer opportunity near you, check out serve.gov. Here are 10 easy ways to volunteer without making any long-term commitments. The collaborative project enlists volunteers from around the world, who use satellite images to put digitally uncharted territories on, well, the map. We had a lot of children come in whose parents were always working and we taught them how to read, use the library and make creative projects. 20 Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students: Ideas for Getting Involved in Volunteer Work as a High Schooler Inspirit AI AI Scholars Live Online Summer Application Deadline is April 15th. When you're done, just mail your item to the distribution center. Environmental organizations work to protect and conserve the natural environment. Now it is a charity that actively works to promote awareness and assistance for homeless individuals. [Now with Map], LAs Top: Best Blow Dry Bars in Los Angeles. If you want to explore agriculture and/or animal careers, you can volunteer at local farms and community gardens. Volunteer programs for high school students - Make College Reality Organizations love it when they can find consistent help and (fine, mom) colleges like it when you commit to an organization rather than flitting through many different volunteer jobs. For high school students, volunteer work of any kind is a laudable pursuit, possessing more than enough intrinsic value to make it worth your time. For high school students who are undecided about a career path or college major, volunteering can help narrow down potential areas of interest. It allows you to give back to your community and help those in need. If you purchase anything via any of these links, you will not be charged any additional fees, but we will be paid a commission by the advertiser. *Dates are not interchangeable. Meaningful Gardens goal is to eradicate food insecurity, conserve water, and look to the future to provide enough food for our growing populations. Since 2008, MicroMentor has played matchmaker to more than 75,000 entrepreneurs and mentors, who work together to solve problems and build successful businesses across the globe. Thousands of businesses have permanently closed since the start of the pandemic in 2020, and many that have remained open are struggling to survive, even though they may be seeing more revenue now. We offer one on one tutoring and group classes, and prospective tutors can choose which they would like to provide. It can point you to new interests, new friends, and if youre really lucky, maybe even a lifelong career. Do you have a background in management, marketing, finance, operations, human resources, or law? Grades are an important factor for college admission but when everyone who applies has good grades, the best way to stand out is through the many different community service opportunities available to you. Service was extremely impactful to me because it provided me a deep, fundamental, and impactful education beyond the walls of the classroom. Participate in We Connect the Dots. By helping others, you can feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that can boost your self-esteem and overall well-being. In college she interned for a U.S. congressman and she spent this past summer with Lambda Legal, a nonprofit civil rights advocacy group that offers free legal services for LGBTQ individuals. We're happy to advise you! The Midnight Mission was founded in 1914 and continues to serve as a homeless shelter and homeless services provider. In fact, Big Sunday believes everyone can help make a positive difference. Like By the People, the Smithsonian has an ongoing project in which digital volunteers (or as they call them, volunpeers) help transcribe and review historical documents and biodiversity data from the worlds largest museum and research center, including Sally Ride's papers, vintage copies of the NAACPs official magazine, World War II diaries, field notes of biologists on remote expeditions, Phyllis Diller's personal archive of 50,000 jokes and one-liners, and detailed records from avid gardeners and birdwatchers. It was impactful because I learned the behind-the-scenes work needed to maintain a place that I love, leading my schools environmental club (doing trash pickups and planting trees). While it can be tempting for students to fill their resume with a lot of different volunteer experiences, experts say its better for students to stay focused. This included community organizing for fundraising runs and marathons to helping out in assisted living centers. Volunteer opportunities are a rewarding and valuable experience for high school students. Keep in mind, though: Crisis counseling is a big yet incredibly rewarding commitment, so make sure you have time for it before signing up; volunteers need to complete 30 hours of virtual crisis management training and should be able to commit to at least four hours of volunteering per week. Support your city's unhoused population by serving lunch in a soup kitchen! I also volunteered in a school and hospital in Nicaragua. Volunteering Can Give Students The Experiences They Need To Make Informed Career Choices, By Heidi Kendrick, Stride Student Advisor. EAP can assist in providing resources and information on any aspect of daily living. They have a wide range of volunteer opportunities, from helping with blood drives to assisting with disaster relief efforts. or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Volunteers can help with conservation efforts, environmental education, and other activities. Weekly volunteer opportunities are offered via Zoom. (Many times, foster children are only given a trash bag to move their belongings.) Select all that apply*. Study-abroad medical trips are currently popular, as you gain hands-on experiences with people from different countries. Volunteers can help with tutoring, mentoring, and other activities. Looking for Fun Things to do with Kids in LA? 19 Great Volunteer Opportunities Around Philadelphia If you need additional assistance locating a volunteer opportunity, contact your ComponentEmployee Assistance Program (EAP). Volunteer Ideas During COVID For Students | Track It Forward Volunteers can help care for animals, socialize with them, and assist with administrative tasks. As a family-friendly rescue, Wags & Walks encourages volunteers of all ages. While we dont recommend volunteering for the sole reason of standing out in college admissions, we have noticed that admissions officers often look for well-rounded applicants who are actively involved in their communities. Whether you're looking to get 2 service hours or 200, we've got a whole list of impactful ways you can get involved. Its also a chance to become aware of problems in their community that they may not otherwise have known about. Inspired by family visits to her grandparents in India, Neha Gupta began, After reading a story about child slavery in the Toronto Star, 12-year-old Craig Kielburger began Free the Children, now known as. Volunteering is one of those ways to get that exposure at no cost.. Museums provide educational resources and cultural experiences to their communities. 50 Community Service Ideas for Teen Volunteers - TeenLife The website citizenscience.gov includes a catalog of more than 200 active, federally-funded crowdsourcing projects, ranging from easy-breezy (virtually walking through neighborhoods in Seattle, Columbus, and Mexico City to evaluate them for wheelchair accessibility) to hands-on data gathering (catching monarch butterflies and caterpillars and testing them for harmful parasites)but none of which require rocket science. You might think you want to do one thing, but when youre in a workplace, you might find that you dont like it in the same way you thought you would, Campbell says. Crisis hotlines provide support and resources for individuals in crisis. Check out humane societies and their website for . 129 Great Examples of Community Service Projects - PrepScholar All Rights Reserved.Inspirit AI is not an official Stanford University academic program.Terms and conditions | Refund policy | Privacy policy, medical research opportunities for high school students, volunteer opportunities for high school students. Community gardens provide a space for community members to grow their own produce. There are always easy entry points, like the service clubs at your high school or religious organization, but beyond that, the options can get overwhelming. I also pursued mental health advocacy. As a high school student, there are plenty of opportunities to give back to your community through volunteer work. Letters Against Isolation is a spirit-boosting initiative started by two Boston-based teens that asks volunteers to write thoughtful cards and letters to residents of assisted living facilities and care homes not only across the United States, but also in Canada, the UK, Australia, and Israel. why teens should volunteer over spring break. Volunteer Work Ideas For High School Students - Stride Marie launched TeenLife in 2007 after moving to Boston with her husband and two middle school sons and discovering that there were no information resources for families with older children. Best Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Career Path, 5 Tips For New Online High School Students, https://www.k12.com/stride-career-prep/about/student-advisory-council.html, George Washington University Online High School. Become a digital advocate for larger organizations like Red Cross. In addition, experts say the relationships students build during volunteer opportunities can be useful down the road when applying to college or for jobs. Most of the time, you can become a farm helper or community garden organizer and learn many critical skills, which you would use regularly along this career path. I thoroughly enjoyed being a youth leader because I became almost like an older sibling and mentor for many younger teens while strengthening my religious faith., I volunteered with an NGO called Dream a Dream and tutored young girls with physical disabilities., I served as Director of Programming at the Teen Board of Childrens Hospital Foundation, Youth Infusion Board Member at the Kentucky Science Center, and Educational Activist at Educational Justice. The National Parks Service is responsible for maintaining and protecting the national parks and historic sites in the United States. Check out our website to sign up as a tutor! Ask yourself these vital questions: TeenLife is here to help! What problem or challenge do you see in your community to be able to make a difference around you, or somebody you might be able to help?. Volunteers can help with youth programs, assist with events, and provide administrative support. So there are plenty of meaningful volunteer opportunities you can do from your couch: You can lend a supportive ear at a crisis hotline, translate important medical information into other languages, assist those with visual impairments with everyday tasks, transcribe President Theodore Roosevelt's letters, and even help protect vulnerable wildlife. If you're planning on applying to college, you probably know that many university admissions officers look favorably upon students with volunteering experience. Volunteer work can also provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Online Volunteering Opportunities - Points of Light There are many ways to volunteer and help your community. Another way multilingual folks can help break (language) barriers: Translators without Borders. Minors can still volunteer as long as theyre also volunteering with someone over 18. Katie Stagliano started planting fruits and vegetables in her garden to start her hand in feeding the hungry. Ownership! But experts offer caveats. "Volunteering" is a big word. 25 Awesome Internships for High Schoolers in 2023 - CollegeVine Her organization. Therefore, MomsLA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy of the information published here. Volunteers can assist with performances, events, and administrative tasks. Due to staffing and budget constraints, some organizations rely on volunteers to achieve their mission. Some events have paid to be listed on MomsLA. 10 Unique Volunteer Ideas For Highschool Students 2023 Choosing a career can be a difficult process, especially when you stop to consider the fact that there are so many options out there. Growing in these aspects helped me to grow as a student and person., I primarily volunteered through music. Please contact any organization that youre considering and confirm all the details before signing your child up. Eg: Newsletter Pop Up YFI Arts, Newsletter Popup Capital Region. TeenLife is here to help! The Instant Wild website and app is a project from the Zoological Society of London in which volunteers look at wildlife pictures and videos from around the world and identify certain animalswildcats in Costa Rica; otters in England; bears, wolves, and lynx in Croatia; jaguars in Mexico; critically endangered Prncipe Thrush on the island of So Tom; black and white rhinos in Kenyaall of which saves scientists' time and helps conservation efforts. Want to read more from our Stride Student Advisors? What could you explore? This approach is child-centered and emphasizes active learning. Volunteers can help with planting, weeding, and harvesting. Not only does volunteering allow you to make a difference in the lives of others, but it also provides you with valuable experiences and skills that can help you in your personal and professional life. Here are some tips to help you turn your hidden abilities into fulfilling service! Hoping to get more involved in your community? Improve your mental and physical health. Volunteering aids students and professionals in continuing their education through hands-on experiences, all while being helpful to the local and/or virtual community. Let's be honest: You already spend hours mindlessly scrolling through the apps on your phoneso why not use that time to be a source of support for people experiencing a crisis? 150+ Community Service Project Ideas for All Ages | LoveToKnow A lock For high school students who are undecided about a career path or college major, volunteering can help narrow down potential areas of interest. Use your powers for goodby becoming a virtual volunteer with Learn to Be, a nonprofit that offers free, 1-on-1 tutoring to students (from kindergarten to 12th grade) living in underserved communities across the country. Overall, there are many resources today that can help you find the perfect career match for your professional journey. 65 Volunteer Opportunities and Ideas - SignUpGenius