Teens Making a Difference

Statistics

• According to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the year 2012, over 27 percent of teens between 16 and 19 years old participated in some sort of volunteer activity. When looking at where volunteers are making a difference, church or religious institutions top the list, with 33.1 percent of the total volunteers, followed by 25.5 percent in youth service programs and 14.2 percent in community or social-service-related organizations. Additionally, the National Center for Education Statistics notes that girls are statistically more likely than boys -- 14 percent versus 11 percent -- to consistently volunteer.

Reasons

• Although making a difference in the community or society seems reason enough to volunteer or participate in a service-oriented project, some teens may not seek out these opportunities on their own. Unlike adults, who may have a better idea of ways to make a difference, teens often wait until they are approached by an organization or another participant. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, 40 percent of teens decided to volunteer after being approached or recruited by a specific organization.

Places to Make a Difference

• The list of places where teens can volunteer or participate in making a difference is almost endless. Starting at the closest level, teens may want to turn to a school organization such as an animal advocacy club. Moving into the community, teens can take part in neighborhood efforts such as a clean-up day or a gardening or beautification project, or paint a public artwork such as a mural. Additionally, church groups may also take part in community or neighborhood efforts to make a difference in the local population. On a larger scale, teens may join a national -- or international -- organization such as Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund or Habitat for Humanity to advocate for change, or to work for it themselves.

Ways to Make a Difference

• There are a variety of different ways that teens can help make a difference. Some teens may prefer a simple or basic activity such as painting posters to hang up at school or stuffing envelopes to send out volunteer letters. More time-consuming -- and more hands-on -- ways to help include activities such as serving meals at a local soup kitchen or building houses for Habitat for Humanity. While the more hands-on opportunities may seem to make more of an impact, teens should remember that even the small stuff can still make a difference.