With the spread of the World Wide Web, kids have more access to information than ever before. And they have more ways to share information with their friends -- text messaging, email, web cams and online videos. But we know that even though you love joking around and talking about music and movies you also care about the things that really matter in the world. You want to help children who don't have enough food, who are in danger because of wars and famine. You want to learn how to cope with bullies and to promote fairness. You're worried about the environment, about pollution and global warming. And most of all, you're wondering what you're going to do in the world --what kind of job you should have and how you can help make the world a better place. Even though you are not the first generation to worry about these things, you may be the first to have at have the tools to change the world readily at hand. What's more, if you live in America, you are part of a huge baby boom that is just now coming into its teenage years. The last time this happened was in the 1960s, when determined young people became part of a grass roots social revolution that drastically changed the way we live. No matter what you think of the 1960s or the values that the youth culture then supported, the fact remains that they were a powerful force. You now can be that powerful force. Only better informed, and better able to share your ideas -- with friends all around the world. You know that something needs to be done. But maybe you're not sure exactly what, or how. Here's the answer: become informed, and then share what you have learned with others.
Click on one of the
underlined titles below to find a whole page of great ideas on how you
can make a difference. You'll find helpful links to organizations
working on that problem, plus books and activities to get you focused.
Giving Service In Your Community: For Help Finding a Volunteer Job If you already know of a job that needs doing or have seen something around your school or neighborhood that needs fixing up, that might be a great way to give service. Talk to an adult in your school, neighborhood or church about organizing kids and adults to tackle the job.
If you don't already know of something that needs to get done in your community or you do, but would like to hook up with others who are already working on it, you can try one of the following organizations...
Help build houses for the homeless! Learn how you can donate your time or raise money for this great charity. Not only do they create homes for those who need them, but they help people learn useful skills.
The Big Help -"Nickelodeon's ongoing, pro-social campaign to connect kids to their communities through volunteering. " This year's Big Help focus is on parks cleaning and fixing up local parks. The slogan is: "Make your mark! Help your park!"
Roots
& Shoots The mission of this program is "to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for the environment, animals and the human community. All Roots & Shoots members, from pre-K to university, demonstrate their care and concern for living things through service projects in their communities." For more information about how you can get involved, visit their web page, read up on what Roots & Shoots are doing in your area or how you can help start a local chapter yourself. There are also ideas for things that you can do all on your own. Don't forget to join their online mailing list so you can find out about upcoming events.
Volunteer Exchange Service of Santa Clara County Attention South Bay youth, register yourself for a community service position! Visit their site for online registration and information about upcoming events and about the Youth Service Team. This resource center hosts an alliance of over 200 organizations committed to strengthening the "Effectiveness, Sustainability, and Scale of the youth service movement." Y.S.A. promotes local solutions to community problems. Check this site for ideas about how to volunteer in your community and who to contact to get started or for more information. Also, find out about National Youth Service Day 2000! This is a great event, drawing attention to the positive difference that young people can make in their community, but... it could be bigger! If you have an idea for giving service in your community, contact your local school officials. Write your idea down on paper and take it to the office. They will be very impressed. And better yet, they may just use your idea! Remember, you don't have to wait for April 14th and 15th to help out. You can start anytime.
More Ways to Give Service, Some Suggestions
There are many ways to help out in your community -- helping out in a classroom with children younger than yourself, visiting someone who's lonely or new to the neighborhood, helping pass out food or blankets to the homeless, helping care for stray animals -- just to name a few. Kids can also help with cleaning and beautifying parks, nature preserves, schools, churches -- and of course...homes! Some places to check to offer your help are: your local community center, the library, local churches, museums, and local schools. Also try, retirement homes for the elderly, shelters for battered/abused women and their children, the animal shelter, or local parks and wildlife refuges. All of these may have jobs that young people can help out with. Volunteer service is great for the community and great for you too -- a volunteer service job can give you knowledge and experience that will help you get a paying job later on, and the people or animals you help get something they need too. Plus, it just feels good to know you are making a difference in the world.
Learning
-- About Yourself, Your World, One of the most important things you can ever do... is learn. Learn about what is going on in the world. Learn about what others are doing to help Learn and become wise, so that you can be a capable person in the world, ready to do your part ...and ready to teach what you have learned to others.
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Giving Service
Taking a Stand Against
Taking A Spiritual
Learning...
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thoughts on accomplishing your goals,
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