“Giving back is a great way to fulfill your community service requirement for school or a club, build your resume, and make a difference in your community,” writes the staff at TeenLife. “But sometimes it’s difficult to find an exciting volunteer opportunity.” Whether it’s a passion for sustainability or nurturing the growth of the community, start by thinking of your interests and hobbies. From there you can see how you can turn them into a rewarding opportunity, such as a community service project.
5 rewarding high school community service opportunities
1. Donate your time to those who serve or are in need.
Why not donate your time to those who serve us every day? Whether it’s sending a care package or a thank-you letter to our troops, or raising awareness for military-focused charities by organizing a bake sale, volunteering your time to help others is an extremely rewarding extracurricular activity. Some other ideas include donating children’s books, clothes, perishables, and other materials to shelters or to Goodwill.
2. Share your knowledge.
For teens who thrive in a particular subject, consider becoming a tutor. As a tutor, you’ll have an opportunity to help others develop new skills, overcome obstacles, and really make a difference. According to USA Today, tutoring is one of the best part-time jobs for students. “When tutoring someone, you’re not just showing up and getting a series of tasks done — you’re making a difference in a student’s life,” writes Cathryn Sloane of USA Today. “Rather than catering to the needs of a bunch of customers who don’t necessarily appreciate the work you are doing, you are helping someone who actually wants to be helped.”
3. Become a camp counselor.
Not only do you get to spend the majority of the day outside engaging in activities like camping, sports, arts and crafts, and social events, but you’ll also gain a number of different life-long skills, such as leadership and independence. Did we mention it’s a great way to have fun and enjoy your summer, too?
4. Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
Local animal shelters are always eager to welcome new volunteers on board. While volunteers typically need to meet a few requirements, including age and commitment level, there are plenty of options available to get started as soon as possible. Volunteer opportunities range from walking dogs to helping with training. Contact your local animal shelter for more information.
5. Offer your time to kids in need.
Between the Special Olympics, local children’s hospitals, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, there’s no shortage of non-profit organizations that need volunteers. Build lasting relationships in the community and benefit from the reward of helping those in need through one of these programs.
To give you a little inspiration to get involved in the community, we’d like to introduce you to TeenLife, an organization that provides students with a comprehensive directory of community-service programs that help you not only improve academically and socially, but also use those skills to shape a hopeful and promising future. With 15,000 opportunities—and growing—for teens in grades 7 through 12, TeenLife offers you a unique opportunity to “develop a meaningful personal-experience portfolio, no matter the makeup of their individual interests, talents, and resources.”